Value of Mother-in-Law's Highboy with Bonnet?

**charles martel** · 07-06-2017, 03:24 PM

MOL has a highboy with bonnet. Belonged to her late husband's family from Maine. They were there from 1690s to 1890s, then Boston, then Swellesley.. Highboy, then, is possibly from Maine, perhaps 18th century. I have priced these online between 15 to 35K. Any ideas on its value? Thx.

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**El Chupacabra** · 07-06-2017, 03:41 PM

That is the most un-TGR-like living room I have ever seen posted on here.

This is a more typical look:

**wyeaster** · 07-06-2017, 03:50 PM

antiques road show

**wyeaster** · 07-06-2017, 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by El Chupacabra

That is the most un-TGR-like living room I have ever seen posted on here.

This is a more typical look:

holy shit that is like kevin spacey's lair in se7en

**wyeaster** · 07-06-2017, 03:52 PM

okay a less genius kevin spacey

**El Chupacabra** · 07-06-2017, 03:53 PM

I was trying to find the image of slaag master walking a slackline in his apartment, but couldn't find a good sized image. This was close.

**mcski** · 07-06-2017, 04:00 PM

Are the skin suits still inside and are they included in potential sale? Asking for a friend.

**Gepeto** · 07-06-2017, 04:19 PM

Originally Posted by El Chupacabra

I was trying to find the image of slaag master walking a slackline in his apartment

....

**AK47bp** · 07-06-2017, 04:40 PM

Originally Posted by charles martel

MOL has a highboy with bonnet. Belonged to her late husband's family from Maine. They were there from 1690s to 1890s, then Boston, then Swellesley.. Highboy, then, is possibly from Maine, perhaps 18th century. I have priced these online between 15 to 35K. Any ideas on its value? Thx.

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The pine cone shaped anal plugs on top have to be worth something.

**ill-advised strategy** · 07-06-2017, 05:39 PM

I was 100% sure this thread was going to be about a barn-find, pre-1977 F250 highboy with a camper. This is bullshit!

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/360217670166760338/

**charles martel** · 07-06-2017, 06:52 PM

Originally Posted by ill-advised strategy

I was 100% sure this thread was going to be about a barn-find, pre-1977 F250 highboy with a camper. This is bullshit!

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/360217670166760338/

Maybe you can swap with her.

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**old goat** · 07-15-2017, 12:27 AM

The style is Chippendale, pre-Revolutionary 1750s-60s. Hard to tell what wood it is. Nice flame figure on the drawer fronts. If that is genuine 18th Century and not a later reproduction I'm guessing the 35K is low, given that a Newport blockfront from the same time period sold for 4.7 million in 1998. Newport blockfronts are the most valuable pieces from that time so yours isn't going for that price, but it is a beautiful piece. As fancy as it looks to us it actually is a fairly barebones example. A fancier one would have carving at the top of the legs for example. When people ordered these the price depended on how much carving there was. It is pretty sophisticated for Maine--I wonder if it was made in Boston or even imported from England (it might be mahogany). The cracked side is almost universal on pieces of that age. They weren't designed to deal with the big humidity swings between summer and winter that you get in the East since the invention of central heating. Looks like it's been refinished, which does reduce the value.
To be honest--I know nothing about the prices of antique furniture and very little about telling an original from a reproduction. Just what I read from time to time in Fine Woodworking. Definitely take it to an expert to find out if it's real 18th Century aand what it's worth. If you do that I would really like to know what he says.

Some pictures of the sides and bottoms of the drawers and of the back might help date it. You can learn a lot from how the drawer is constructed and from other construction details. The backs of originals and any other parts that aren't ordinarily seen are often very rough compared to more modern furniture. Since all the work was done by hand they spent their time on the parts that showed.

AK--The butt plugs on top are called flame finials. I just got done turning some for the posts of a headboard I made. I haven't carved the spirals yet. I turned 5 but only need the 2 best, so you can have the other 3. I can send them to you as they are for free. If you want the spiral flutes carved that will cost you, but I would think the extra stimulation would be worth it. Peasant.

**tripice351** · 07-15-2017, 07:16 AM

My kind of highboy

**charles martel** · 07-17-2017, 05:51 PM

Originally Posted by old goat

The style is Chippendale, pre-Revolutionary 1750s-60s. Hard to tell what wood it is. Nice flame figure on the drawer fronts. If that is genuine 18th Century and not a later reproduction I'm guessing the 35K is low, given that a Newport blockfront from the same time period sold for 4.7 million in 1998. Newport blockfronts are the most valuable pieces from that time so yours isn't going for that price, but it is a beautiful piece. As fancy as it looks to us it actually is a fairly barebones example. A fancier one would have carving at the top of the legs for example. When people ordered these the price depended on how much carving there was. It is pretty sophisticated for Maine--I wonder if it was made in Boston or even imported from England (it might be mahogany). The cracked side is almost universal on pieces of that age. They weren't designed to deal with the big humidity swings between summer and winter that you get in the East since the invention of central heating. Looks like it's been refinished, which does reduce the value.
To be honest--I know nothing about the prices of antique furniture and very little about telling an original from a reproduction. Just what I read from time to time in Fine Woodworking. Definitely take it to an expert to find out if it's real 18th Century aand what it's worth. If you do that I would really like to know what he says.

Some pictures of the sides and bottoms of the drawers and of the back might help date it. You can learn a lot from how the drawer is constructed and from other construction details. The backs of originals and any other parts that aren't ordinarily seen are often very rough compared to more modern furniture. Since all the work was done by hand they spent their time on the parts that showed.

AK--The butt plugs on top are called flame finials. I just got done turning some for the posts of a headboard I made. I haven't carved the spirals yet. I turned 5 but only need the 2 best, so you can have the other 3. I can send them to you as they are for free. If you want the spiral flutes carved that will cost you, but I would think the extra stimulation would be worth it. Peasant.

Thanks for all this. Will keep you posted.

**charles martel** · 07-18-2017, 06:29 AM

Here are pics or bottom and a drawer.

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**ill-advised strategy** · 07-18-2017, 07:57 AM

god damn what kind of jackass pays 4 million dollars for that?

gtfo of here. Jusus H. S. S. Christ on a unicycle.

**old goat** · 07-18-2017, 08:21 AM

Originally Posted by charles martel

Here are pics or bottom and a drawer.

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Looks promising. I'm not an expert but I would say it would be worth your time and money to have an expert look at that.

Originally Posted by ill-advised strategy

god damn what kind of jackass pays 4 million dollars for that?

gtfo of here. Jusus H. S. S. Christ on a unicycle.

A rich jackass. Charles Martel's piece won't go for anything close to that. The $4M piece was a Newport blockfront chest. Newport blockfronts are particularly desired by collectors. OTOH I saw another sale of a similar one for $71K, so prices can be all over the map--depending on condition and originality and who knows what. CM's original price guesstimate might be spot on, but the piece does deserve a professional appraisal if it's going to be sold and for insurance purposes. Colonial era furniture has been reproduced continuously since the originals--the piece in question could be a reproduction and much less valuable. BTW--a Newport secretary sold for $12M in 1989.

**charles martel** · 07-18-2017, 08:22 AM

Thx, OG.

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**FLS** · 07-18-2017, 08:32 AM

If that's original and was refinished, ouch.

Good looking piece. Good luck.

**splat** · 07-18-2017, 09:23 AM

WTF.....it's money in the bank. Nice piece. I love antiques.

OG - 'Peasant' was the best bitchslap I've ever seen you deliver.

**muted** · 07-18-2017, 09:32 AM

Clearly Charles is seeing if he should off his MIL Sarah in the pantry with a candlestick, so he can inherit this lovely antique. Then divorce his wife Muffins and run off with the maid.

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**charles martel** · 07-18-2017, 12:12 PM

Originally Posted by muted

Clearly Charles is seeing if he should off his MIL Sarah in the pantry with a candlestick, so he can inherit this lovely antique. Then divorce his wife Muffins and run off with the maid.

Yes.

**old goat** · 07-18-2017, 04:30 PM

A lot of the originals had hidden compartments--safety deposit boxes weren't handy back then. You could find a hidden original copy of the Declaration of Independence and be wealthier beyond your wildest dreams. Or better yet--a long lost original copy of the Bill of Rights with 9 Amendments--no Second. Or you could be like Geraldo River and Al Capone's vault and destroy the piece in the process.

Re the finish--the pieces I've seen in museum from that era all have a very glossy finish that tends to exaggerate the waviness of the underlying wood which has warped over the centuries. The museum pieces could be refinished for all I know. Your piece has a satin finish, which is why I think it might be refinished, and I don't see any waviness. But it's internet pictures and a retired doctor's opinion.

**GeezerSteve** · 07-18-2017, 09:31 PM

after the zombie apocalypse it'll sell as firewood for a couple grams of gold dust or one .22LR round or a can of tuna fish

**charles martel** · 07-20-2017, 06:03 AM

Originally Posted by DIYSteve

after the zombie apocalypse it'll sell as firewood for a couple grams of gold dust or one .22LR round or a can of tuna fish

Stockpile that 22lr now. first, it's more fun to shoot. Second, it's more fun to shoot. Third, it's cheap and you can hide it from Obama in my MIL's highboy when he mounts a coup against Trump.