REQ: Wood/Furniture Identification

On Tuesday, May 9, 2017 at 11:41:02 AM UTC-5, Casper wrote:
> My other half got a dresser when grandma moved to adult living and
> sold her home. GMA said it was 100-125+ years old and made of
> mahogany. I am trying to identify the wood and style.

I can't open the individual pics, for some reason, to look closer at the drawers, but I can open the group. The style is French Provincial.

Sometimes you can narrow down a date by the pulls design, feet design and the interior drawer framing/runners, if there are no definitive markings on the back, inside the carcass or somewhere on a drawer. Or a combination of features.

Sonny

>Email them some pics with questions. Click onto their historic timeline.
>http://www.woodard-furniture.com/
>Sonny

Woodard's response to my email querry...

"Unfortunately we do not have any records of the furniture Woodard
made pre-1930s. Based on the metal plaque inside the furniture, what
you have is from the Woodard company, but it is unlikely it would have
been painted originally. Someone who owned it at some point painted it
or had it painted. And because we don’t have records on the wooden
furniture, I cannot confirm for you what wood was used. To get more
information on the furniture, you might contact a local appraiser or
antique dealer."

Ergo, yes it's Woodard and no, we know nothing about it.

On Wednesday, May 10, 2017 at 12:30:25 PM UTC-5, Sonny wrote:
> On Tuesday, May 9, 2017 at 11:41:02 AM UTC-5, Casper wrote:
> > My other half got a dresser when grandma moved to adult living and
> > sold her home. GMA said it was 100-125+ years old and made of
> > mahogany. I am trying to identify the wood and style.
>
> I can't open the individual pics, for some reason, to look closer at the drawers, but I can open the group. The style is French Provincial.
>
> Sometimes you can narrow down a date by the pulls design, feet design and the interior drawer framing/runners, if there are no definitive markings on the back, inside the carcass or somewhere on a drawer. Or a combination of features.
>
> Sonny

Email them some pics with questions. Click onto their historic timeline.
http://www.woodard-furniture.com/

Sonny

On Wednesday, May 10, 2017 at 12:30:25 PM UTC-5, Sonny wrote:
>
> I can't open the individual pics,

Check that. I used the slideshow option, to see them individually.

The Woodard tag may help determine age. Sometimes, those tag designs change, as the company progresses. Might inquire about that particular tag design.

The dresser looks in good constructive shape. Maybe Woodard can give you some advice for refinishing, along with wood ID, etc.

Sonny

[email protected] (Scott Lurndal) was heard to mutter:
>Looks a bit like quartersawn sycamore for the secondary (draw bottom) wood.

Could be for the drawer bottoms, sides, etc,.

Drawer front is much darker as is entire outside. I could not get a
photo of the back when I took these but the back paint is quite peeled
and very dark wood. I don't think oak. Grain looks wrong.

Woodard was known for mahogany furniture but also other Michigan
woods, including pine. This is too heavy and dense for pine.

Going to see if I can get more paint off with a heat gun. Also going
to try and get a photo of the back and bottom.

On Tuesday, May 9, 2017 at 12:02:06 PM UTC-5, Scott Lurndal wrote:

> Looks a bit like quartersawn sycamore for the secondary (draw bottom) wood.

Usually guessing wood species except the most obvious of them is wildly inaccurate.

However, I have turned a lot of sycamore as there are from time to time large trees down here. It looked just like that! It is very stable once dried, but a little soft. Perfect for a secondary wood.

I would bet that is sycamore.

Robert

On 5/9/2017 12:02 PM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
> Casper <[email protected]> writes:
>> My other half got a dresser when grandma moved to adult living and
>> sold her home. GMA said it was 100-125+ years old and made of
>> mahogany. I am trying to identify the wood and style.
>>
>> Drawer bottom...
>> http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii235/AMDHamm/Photo%20May%2008%207%2055%2009%20PM.jpg
>>
>> Close-up of drawer bottom...
>> http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii235/AMDHamm/Photo%20May%2008%207%2055%2058%20PM.jpg
>>
>
> Looks a bit like quartersawn sycamore for the secondary (draw bottom) wood.
>

Agreed, not Mahogany.

Casper <[email protected]> wrote in news:57p3hc171qkeoorefv6meocpegsi4ob4rt@
4ax.com:

> My other half got a dresser when grandma moved to adult living and
> sold her home. GMA said it was 100-125+ years old and made of
> mahogany. I am trying to identify the wood and style.
>
> Drawer bottom...
> http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii235/AMDHamm/Photo%20May%2008%207%2055%
2009%20PM.jpg
>
> Close-up of drawer bottom...
> http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii235/AMDHamm/Photo%20May%2008%207%2055%
2058%20PM.jpg

Very definitely quartersawn sycamore -- I've made enough furniture with QS sycamore to
recognize it at a glance.

>I would bet that is sycamore.
>Robert

Drawer bottoms and sides, yes. What about fronts?

Been researching Woodard but can't find much. They were a huge
furniture maker, and later the world's largest casket maker, starting
in the 1860's. Known for mahogany and local Michigan woods like pine
and others. One would think if they were that large one could find
more information. Trying to determine if it's worth restoring.

Casper <[email protected]> writes:
>My other half got a dresser when grandma moved to adult living and
>sold her home. GMA said it was 100-125+ years old and made of
>mahogany. I am trying to identify the wood and style.
>
>Drawer bottom...
>http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii235/AMDHamm/Photo%20May%2008%207%2055%2009%20PM.jpg
>
>Close-up of drawer bottom...
>http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii235/AMDHamm/Photo%20May%2008%207%2055%2058%20PM.jpg
>

Looks a bit like quartersawn sycamore for the secondary (draw bottom) wood.

On 5/10/2017 10:14 AM, Casper wrote:
>> I would bet that is sycamore.
>> Robert
>
> Drawer bottoms and sides, yes. What about fronts?

Fronts appear to be a linen paint wood.

That will change if you remove the paint.

>
> Been researching Woodard but can't find much. They were a huge
> furniture maker, and later the world's largest casket maker, starting
> in the 1860's. Known for mahogany and local Michigan woods like pine
> and others. One would think if they were that large one could find
> more information. Trying to determine if it's worth restoring.
>

Furniture manufacturers use many types of woods for the same pieces,
depending on what is ordered.
The type of wood should not be a determining factor as to it's worth of
being restored.

>Email them some pics with questions. Click onto their historic timeline.
>http://www.woodard-furniture.com/
>Sonny

Way ahead of you. Went there and did that before I posted here.
No response yet.