These past several weeks at Redeux have been busy… when the weather was cooperating. Several pieces have been refurbished and several more are nearing completion. Also, a field trip was made to Old Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts to explore and study painted furniture in Colonial America. First, here's what’s ready at Redeux.
The green / blue Berkley & Gay dresser is still available. This really is a nice piece and the bright brass hardware really sets the color off. Another dresser, painted deep red, has just been finished. An antique wash chest with carved mirror is awaiting a new home as is a somewhat younger version, also in oak. The Amish(?) oak farm table has been given a new coat of oil on the top and looks great. A very neat pickled-oak chest/dresser and a large, Dutch style dresser are also ready. We now have two chiffarobes, both painted and also several very nice maple dressers that appear to date from the 1920’s to 1930’s. Included is a very nice maple dresser having two different types of graining. It's different and striking. I'm awaiting the arrival of some drawer-pull hardware but otherwise it is ready to go. For desks we have a Victorian cylinder style roll-top, a very beautiful writing desk with an interesting carved wood decoration on the top door and a mahogany convertible desk that expands to a dining/conference table. A neat little slant-top is also close to done. Nearly ready – at last- is the large oak dresser with tall mirror and white stone top. Dating from the mid to late 1800’s this piece was built using joints, slots & dowels. It is quite some bit of craftsmanship! There are several other small, occasional pieces awaiting homes, too.
The trip to Sturbridge, as always, was both enjoyable and informative. Previous “field trips” had been devoted to learning different styles of joinery; nail types and their uses and the milling of wood boards. Last week’s trip was devoted to studying and learning about painted furniture. This was brought about by my increasing interest in painting furniture and by finding several very old pieces that appear to have been painted at, or close to, the time of construction.
While painted furniture has been around forever, furniture painting in America became popular starting in the early 1899’s with the increasing industrialization of the nation. With this industrialization came more wealth, more leisure time and less expensive furniture due to machine-made parts. Less exotic native wood furniture such as pine, birch, oak and maple were considered suitable for decorating by painting the entire piece or painting scenes or adding stenciling. But, contrary to some “experts” opinions, painting furniture did not imply that the piece was inferior. What struck me most, I suppose, was the very bright and varied colors that early Americans commonly used. The image of New Englanders being somewhat drab or austere in their use of color and decoration appears to not be supported by historical evidence. In fact, many homes had furniture and accessories in a riot of colors in the same room! And, it all worked.
What this field trip means for Redeux is that our color choices for furniture can be more varied. This does not mean that every piece is a candidate for painting – far from it. Many of our pieces would be ruined by painting them. A birdseye maple dresser is beautiful enough without adding a thing. But, a simple, non-historical piece that might benefit from a new facelift may be sent to the Redeux Color Spa. During this coming winter I hope to learn some new techniques for painting and most certainly will draw upon the furniture at Old Sturbridge Village for inspiration.
Thanks, again, to all of you for stopping by the garage. This week, with some warmer temperatures promised, I’ll be busy getting as many as possible of the remaining pieces refinished or painted. Stop by. Tea is on!
Bill
The trip to Sturbridge, as always, was both enjoyable and informative. Previous “field trips” had been devoted to learning different styles of joinery; nail types and their uses and the milling of wood boards. Last week’s trip was devoted to studying and learning about painted furniture. This was brought about by my increasing interest in painting furniture and by finding several very old pieces that appear to have been painted at, or close to, the time of construction.
While painted furniture has been around forever, furniture painting in America became popular starting in the early 1899’s with the increasing industrialization of the nation. With this industrialization came more wealth, more leisure time and less expensive furniture due to machine-made parts. Less exotic native wood furniture such as pine, birch, oak and maple were considered suitable for decorating by painting the entire piece or painting scenes or adding stenciling. But, contrary to some “experts” opinions, painting furniture did not imply that the piece was inferior. What struck me most, I suppose, was the very bright and varied colors that early Americans commonly used. The image of New Englanders being somewhat drab or austere in their use of color and decoration appears to not be supported by historical evidence. In fact, many homes had furniture and accessories in a riot of colors in the same room! And, it all worked.
What this field trip means for Redeux is that our color choices for furniture can be more varied. This does not mean that every piece is a candidate for painting – far from it. Many of our pieces would be ruined by painting them. A birdseye maple dresser is beautiful enough without adding a thing. But, a simple, non-historical piece that might benefit from a new facelift may be sent to the Redeux Color Spa. During this coming winter I hope to learn some new techniques for painting and most certainly will draw upon the furniture at Old Sturbridge Village for inspiration.
Thanks, again, to all of you for stopping by the garage. This week, with some warmer temperatures promised, I’ll be busy getting as many as possible of the remaining pieces refinished or painted. Stop by. Tea is on!
Bill
