Expert: Eileen Cronk - 3/18/2005

Question
I have a gateleg table made around 1714 to 1740.  I believe it
was made by a quaker ancestor in Pennsylvania in the West
Chester area.  I do not believe it was finished.  There should be a
drawer on either end but there is only the drawer front (screwed
on, they apparently never were finished, by my mother). I am not
sure the make of the wood, but could send detailed pictures.  I
am  located near Nashville, TN and would like to have the
drawers finished or just the drawer fronts put in correctly.  
Thank You, Elizabeth McCullough  

Answer
Hi Elizabeth.
Nice to hear from you.
If you have a gateleg table made in the 1700's, do not touch it in any way.
I watched the Antiues Roadshow today where a lady brought
a pedestal table from that period that would have been worth a huge amount had it not been tampered with.
This huge amount was $2,000,000....I am not joking.
So please...take your table to a museum to see if it actually is that old.
And yes, I would love to see the pictures.
email me at  ecronk@sympatico.ca
Regards
Eileen