Collectibles-General (Antiques)/Birds eye Maple???

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Expert: - 11/28/2009


Question

Old Dresser
Hello Eileen,
I have just purchased an older (not sure how old it is) dresser that has dove tail drawers and is made of supposedly Birdseye Maple.  It stand only 27" high.  My intentions were to use it as a vanity and put a bowl sink on the top, then I saw on TV a show where the couple were doing the same thing as me and when they were hunting for a dresser they came across one made of Birdseye Maple and said there was no way they would use that dresser.  They really never elaborated as to why.  Would you know why?  And is there a way I could find out approximately how old my dresser really is.  It is not made of veneer, the drawer faces are about 1" thick and are rounded.  It is really gorgeous!
Thank you.

Answer
Hi Diane
Nice to hear from you.
Actually your dresser is not made of birds eye maple.
It is in fact oak. And it is also veneer. The drawer fronts at least. I cannot see the top but if you sent a picture of that, I should be able to tell you if the top is veneer.
In any case, this lovely dresser is not a good candidate for a sink.
You need one that is solid wood, no veneers.
Birds eye maple is simply regular maple that has had something happen to it during the growing process that causes this defect (spots actually).
We mill a lot of maple from our forest here in Ontario. This birds eye effect is not seen a lot but we do see it on occasion. It is noticed on old growth maple more than younger trees.
There seems to be some mystic about this maple but its just that.
You can find out the age of your dresser by asking one of our antique experts here at Allexperts.
My guess is its from the early turn of the century. Factory made of course.
The handles are not original and the finish looks too good to be original but its a really nice piece.
It would be a shame to cut it for a sink. There are lots of old dressers out there more suitable for a sink.
Hope I have answered all your questions
Kind Regards
Eileen

Eileen Cronk

Expertise

I can answer most questions about the repairing and refinishing of all your old furniture items (the things we call antiques). I can also give you advice on what wood items to choose and what wood items to avoid at auctions, flea markets etc. I DO NOT give appraisals on antiques as this is not my field of expertise.

Experience

I have been repairing, refinishing and of course buying old furniture for the past 30 years. On any given weekend I can be found at auction sales or flea markets searching out a good buy. I have taken several courses in this area over the years, but I find "Hands On" learning to be the best teacher. I can help you avoid the pitfalls and problems of this wonderful rewarding craft.

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