Knee Hole Desk help

[fire4jewel]

Hi Everyone! I would greatly appreciate any help on the style of this Knee Hole Desk. I've researched what I could, but can't decide on the style to make the search easier. What are the vertiacal trim pieces called? Thanks much! fire4jewel

[debora_34_]

The "trim pieces" are called reeded columns.  

Debora

[zzydny]

I suspect that it's a dressing table rather than a desk.  If you look at the back, you'll probably see evidence of where supports for the mirror frame once fitted.  If it is indeed a desk, then the rear of it will be finished so that it can stand in the center of a room rather than, as with a dressing table, against a wall.

[debora_34_]

It certainly does look more like a dressing table.

Debora

[zzydny]

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@debora_34_ wrote:

It certainly does look more like a dressing table.

Debora

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I have one that is very similar but mine has a different detail instead of reeded columns.  Oddly enough, my mother used it as a desk for years but I use it as a dressing table.  It's a fairly basic standard dressing table model for the era it was made (1920-ish give or take a decade or two), and the differing details would have been added so as to increase the variety of the product line at the factory.  These would also have been made in different veneer finishes and with a variety of hardware.

[zzydny]

I was curious to see how similar this is with mine.  And it is very similar. 

I removed the hardware from mine and sold it (bad me, I know, but, hey, I'm an eBay seller and I earned more than I thought the dresser alone was worth) but it was the same as yours.  I painted my to cover the old marred and chipped veneer (it was a rescue job, although the furniture itself was sound). 

But here's the thing:  the three boxes (two side sets and single center set) on this are the same.  The cut-in for the seat, same.  The legs, same.  The only real difference is in the decorative finishes and the fact not all of my drawers are bevelled at the edge (which indicates that yours is older and that mine is a newer cheaped-down version)--oherwise, your furniture appears to be the spit of my dressing table.  This is one of the ways those early 20th Century manufaccturers managed to keep costs low, and it's the way many still do today--they make nearly identical objects and then add fancy bits to make it look like there's a difference.

I helped at a friend's antiques store for years;  maybe I learned a few things after all.

[fire4jewel]

Hi zzydny! Oh, My Word!! Yours looks Amazing! What a Beautiful job. It truly looks incredible. Many years ago, I tried refinishing a piece of furniture. After a few hours of sanding, I knew it was not my 'gift' to do refinishing, lol.

I am always in awe though, of people who take something like my piece and turn it into something like your piece. Always Amazed.

I think I'll put mine on Craigslist! With me it would never look as good as yours, so I think I'll give it a chance at a new prettier life. lol

Thank you so very much for sharing zzydny! I just love how yours turned out.

[zzydny]

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@fire4jewel wrote:

Hi zzydny! Oh, My Word!! Yours looks Amazing! What a Beautiful job. It truly looks incredible. Many years ago, I tried refinishing a piece of furniture. After a few hours of sanding, I knew it was not my 'gift' to do refinishing, lol.

I am always in awe though, of people who take something like my piece and turn it into something like your piece. Always Amazed.

I think I'll put mine on Craigslist! With me it would never look as good as yours, so I think I'll give it a chance at a new prettier life. lol

Thank you so very much for sharing zzydny! I just love how yours turned out.

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Thanks for your very kind words. 

Let me tell you a secret:  I hate sanding, too.  So I didn't!  I painted my dressing table in just one day and used only paint I already had on hand.  The secret is to layer very thin coats of flat white spray paint on the wood and then paint it with the semi-gloss of your choice.

People think that antiques should always be treasured.  Sometimes they can be right but most stuff just isn't Guggenheim Quality.  If you wanna renovate that desk/dressing table/whatever, go for it!  Enjoy the process.  The results don't have to be perfect.  They just need to make you happy.

[fire4jewel]

Hi zzydny!

I just typed a note to you on here and when I hit the Enter it dissapeared!! I guess it is the week -end, lol. 

But the just of it was your idea of the paint is Amazing and sounds Great! 

I do have the piece for sale though, as it was taking up valuable space in the 'man cave' and that just isn't good. But if it doesn't sell quick, I think I'll get out my paints and see what I can do. 

Ya have to have some fun and like you said, it doesn't have to be perfect. But if it turns out even one half as pretty as yours, I will be so happy!

Thanks so very much, zzydny! Have a great week-end!