I recently purchased the piece of furniture pictured below. To me it
looks like Eastlake style done by a carpenter, not mass produced. With
the piece came the big mirror part, but it was not attached, just
sitting on top. The auctioneers said the two have always gone together.
I'm wondering if that's the case or not. I'm actually looking for a few
bits of information:

1. Is the mirror part supposed to go with the chest, and should they be
put back together?
2. Was this piece meant to be painted? I see the mirror part and the
chest were both painted blue at one point, but that's no guarentee that
they've always been together.
3. If it wasn't always painted, should it be stripped and refinished?
4. Is this an eastlake period piece? If not, what is it?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v469/aburns/91070105.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v469/aburns/91070106.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v469/aburns/91070107.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v469/aburns/91070108.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v469/aburns/91070109.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v469/aburns/91070110.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v469/aburns/91070111.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v469/aburns/91070112.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v469/aburns/91070113.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v469/aburns/91070114.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v469/aburns/91070115.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v469/aburns/91070116.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v469/aburns/91070117.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v469/aburns/91070118.jpg


thanks!

First off, nice group of pictures showing the whole piece and it's features.

Here's my opinion.

Yes it's Eastlake period (the precursor to the Arts and Crafts period). The bead grooving on the drawer fronts and the leaf carving on the frame are typical Eastlake - simplified decoration on semi mass produced furniture near the end of the Victorian era. It was likely made by a combination of steam milling and hand work circa 1870-1890. One picture also shows a square-head nail and this helps date it as pre 1900 or so. The main wood for the drawer fronts, top, and mirror frame is probably ash, but may have some oak, elm, and chestnut mixed in. The drawer interiors, back boards, and maybe even the sides are likely pine and/or poplar. It is unlikely that the blue paint is original. These pieces would have been stained and coated, sometimes heavily, with tinted shellac. I would say go ahead and strip it all (since it has already been started) and refinish it - golden oak to medium walnut colour with amber shellac and amber to dark wax, based on your preference. Some people like the painted over look - shabby chic they call it - but if you strip it all and refinish and rebuild, it will be a faithfull restoration. The mirror definately looks like it belongs to the base. Notice how the routered edge stops shy of the back and how there is a lip created by the cross frame piece and back boards, for the mirror frame to sit on. Notice also in one picture of the back how there are two lighter coloured rectangular areas on the back boards - this would have been caused by the brace boards (1 x 3 maybe) that held the two pieces together - look for a matching pattern behind the mirror frame.

I hope this helps.

Hello Friend,
I too agree that it is an Eastlake piece as the drawer runners are typical of the way Eastlake installed his.Also you can see some of the original finish in the openings of the paint, and I agree that you would be wise to strip it to the bare wood and re stain the piece as Stonecat stated. the mirror does go with the dresser and as Stonecat stated you can see where the mounting boards were placed on the back of the chest and should match up with two identical ones on the mirror.

Respectfully,

Ralph Jones

thanks for the info. picked it up for $45 and I hope it'll come out nice when i'm done. I'll post some more pics when complete.

~ASB