antiques roadshow moment
So, we have this coffee table. it's beat up, I've had to repair a leg, and it has seen better days. it's a gorgeous blonde color and is a very awesome mid-century modern style. I loved it when I saw it at Dave's when I first met him and was sure it was an antique. he assured me it was not, due to the fact that he was given it for free, and no one would give away an antique! We got it when we moved into the first apartment, and it mostly ends up as the catch-all table in the living room. We had also opted to use this table instead of mine owing to the fact that mine was an antique from my great-grandmother.
A friend was over this evening and was commenting that the table could be sold for about $150 or so if we wanted to bring in a little extra. Based on what Dave said (and in complete ignorance of my initial feelings) I laughed and stated that the previous owner probably didn't even pay $50 for it new. She insisted it was an antique and worth something, so, I dumped everything off the table and flipped it over. She argued more, then we went to dinner, and came home and my curiosity got the better of me.
I googled Heywood-Wakefield, as the stamp on the table denoted, and started from there. Tons of stuff. Started glancing through the image search but could not find anything like it. I did eventually find similar tables, but they had a shelf underneath that ours lacks. Even more curious now I had Dave read the model number off and I looked for that. nada. I hunted and hunted. Finally, ready to give up and declare it the table never made, I found an antiques site which had cleverly branded itself as eco-friendly and green since it was 'recycling' the vintage furniture) and I scrolled through. There, almost at the bottom of the page, was our table.
And then came the antiques roadshow moment.
The table I was viewing online was a refinished version in the same color (wheat) as ours, and it was selling for just under $400. I laughed stared at the table the cat was sleeping on and then went to tell Dave. Our decision- we won't sell it, but we'll keep it, and when we can afford to, we will refinish it.
Amusingly, the antique has been used to protect the other antique. I have two other pieces of quality furniture- an Ethan Allen loveseat and a cherrywood desk (which is despised by all who have had to move it up stairs). I am very amused and pelased with my collection.
In other news, Dave is undertaking the learning of Drupal in hopes of securing a possible job. I will be learning some, too, so I can make my website skills better. On the work front, the Save the Date cards in my Etsy shop have been getting looks, but no buyers yet, and as I predicted, the Twilight themed card is so far the most popular. Looking into ways to market these and my site. I will keep everyone posted.
And that's about it for my Sunday. :)
A friend was over this evening and was commenting that the table could be sold for about $150 or so if we wanted to bring in a little extra. Based on what Dave said (and in complete ignorance of my initial feelings) I laughed and stated that the previous owner probably didn't even pay $50 for it new. She insisted it was an antique and worth something, so, I dumped everything off the table and flipped it over. She argued more, then we went to dinner, and came home and my curiosity got the better of me.
I googled Heywood-Wakefield, as the stamp on the table denoted, and started from there. Tons of stuff. Started glancing through the image search but could not find anything like it. I did eventually find similar tables, but they had a shelf underneath that ours lacks. Even more curious now I had Dave read the model number off and I looked for that. nada. I hunted and hunted. Finally, ready to give up and declare it the table never made, I found an antiques site which had cleverly branded itself as eco-friendly and green since it was 'recycling' the vintage furniture) and I scrolled through. There, almost at the bottom of the page, was our table.
And then came the antiques roadshow moment.
The table I was viewing online was a refinished version in the same color (wheat) as ours, and it was selling for just under $400. I laughed stared at the table the cat was sleeping on and then went to tell Dave. Our decision- we won't sell it, but we'll keep it, and when we can afford to, we will refinish it.
Amusingly, the antique has been used to protect the other antique. I have two other pieces of quality furniture- an Ethan Allen loveseat and a cherrywood desk (which is despised by all who have had to move it up stairs). I am very amused and pelased with my collection.
In other news, Dave is undertaking the learning of Drupal in hopes of securing a possible job. I will be learning some, too, so I can make my website skills better. On the work front, the Save the Date cards in my Etsy shop have been getting looks, but no buyers yet, and as I predicted, the Twilight themed card is so far the most popular. Looking into ways to market these and my site. I will keep everyone posted.
And that's about it for my Sunday. :)