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About Fred Taylor
Expertise
I will attempt to answer questions about American antique furniture, including construction details, style, period, manufacturers, care, repair and storage. I do not have any background in appliances, musical instruments, sewing machines, lighting and clocks and will not respond to quesions about those items.

Experience
I ran an antique furniture restoration business for twenty years. I am a nationally syndicated columnist on the subject of antique furniture for such publications as Antique Week and New England Antiques Journal. I have produced one video on the subject of furniture identification and my book "HOW TO BE A FURNITURE DETECTIVE" is now available.I have also published articles in Antique Trader, Chicago Art Deco Society, Northeast Magazine, Victorian Decorating and Lifestyles, Professional Refinishing, Antiques and Art Around Florida and Antique Shoppe. You can visit my website at www.furnituredetective.com

Education/Credentials
BSBA Finance, University of Florida, MBA Finance, University of Florida

You are here: Experts > Hobbies > Antiques: UK > Collectibles-General (Antiques) > Grand Rapids Chair Company

Collectibles-General (Antiques) - Grand Rapids Chair Company

Expert: Fred Taylor - 11/7/2009

Question

Dining Room Set w/ Chi

My wife and I recenty purchased from some family members a dining room set made by the Grand Rapids Chair Company. The appraisal that they received for Dining Room Table, Six Chairs, China Cabinet and Server was $3,500 - $5,000 (supposedly mahogany). We paid the lower. Her family members said that the set had been in the family for 100 years. I kind of doubt that given some of the other posts I've seen on this site regarding Grand Rapids Chair Company furniture. My questions are (i) was this estimate overpriced? (ii) can I have the furniture refinished or touched up (family members were afraid to do this for fear of diminishing an antique's value - from what I've read on this site, this furniture is not antique) and (iii) if we wanted to get additional pieces, how common is this furniture? I've attached a couple of images.

Best regards,
Jim V

Answer
Jim- Grand Rapids Chair Co. (not to be confused with Grand Rapids Bookcase and Chair Co.) was formed in 1872 so it is possible to have furniture from the company that is more than 100 years old. However, your set is not.

Your set is Colonial Revival reproduction furniture based on Federal period furniture of the ealry 1800s. The chairs have Hepplewhite style backs (George Hepplewhite was an English designer of the late 18th century) and Sheraton turned and reeded legs (Thomas Sheraton was also an English designer of the period). The table is a reproduction of an 18th century English pedestal table. The style was still popular in the early 1800s.

The set is made of mahognay veneer and secondary woods, probably red gum. It was made during the Depression era of the late 1920s to late 1930s. You didn't say when the appraisal was done or by whom. It is possible that this set was once appraised for $3,500-$5,000 but not anytime in the recent past. In today's market the set would sell as a set in $1,500 range.

One clue to the Depression era origin is the orientation of the legs on the pedestal. The traditional 18th and 19th century orientation of the three legged pedestal is for the odd leg to stick out rather than in. This allows the diner on each end a more comfortable placement of feet and legs. The idea of turning the pedestal inward was developed during the Depression era when living spaces were smaller. The inward position allowed more room for passage around the table in a small dining room.

Any touch up or refinishing certainly will not detract from the value since your are correct -it has no antique value. The rule of thumb for 20th century pieces is that any restoration, if properly done, will improve both the appearance and the current market value.

Colonial Revival reproductions of Federal furniture are probably the most commonly shown examples of "older" furniture in antique shops and malls. Finding an exact match may take some time but its out there.

Thanks for writing.

Fred Taylor
www.furnituredetective.com

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