Bookcase secretaire in need of love

[fletty]

Picked up my latest restoration project this morning, $50 via Facebook.

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It it seems to be structurally sound, has ALL of its handles, needs a new hinge on the fold down writing surface but hopefully won’t warrant/need a complete strip?

fletty

[John Saxton]

A bit of TLC & it will come up a treat ,look forward to seeing it renewed.

[crowie]

How old do you think it is Alan?

[fletty]

I haven’t done a ‘Silent Witness’ forensic assessment yet but the only thing I have noticed is that the handles, which I had presumed to be bone, seem to be ‘translucent bakelite’ which would date it to about 1920 at the earliest? I can’t yet find photographs of any similar pieces to help date it so I’m going to stick with “about 1930” until I find otherwise?

[fletty]

The worst damage is the broken-out hinge mount on the drop-down writing surface. An earlier attempt to repair it with nails and contact cement was a dismal failure AND it oozed through cracks onto the visible outer surface as well!

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I found the nails by using using a powerful rare earth magnet and removed them easily because, for most of their length, they were only in contact cement or fresh air!

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I rebated the hinge mount mount area from the inside leaving the outside face intact hoping to retain the original patina from the outside at least.

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... and a new insert was fitted, clamped and glued in place.

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Fixing the equally damaged hinge mount INSIDE the bookcase will be much more difficult!

fletty

[DaveTTC]

Nice find

DaveTTC
The Turning Cowboy
Turning Wood Into Art

[Bushmiller]

$50 sounds like a good buy.

Regards
Paul

[graham.murfett]

Nice unit. What timber and finish do you think it is?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[fletty]

Nice unit. What timber and finish do you think it is?



It is definitely a shellac finish but the timber is still a bit of a mystery. It looks like mahogany (EDIT: NOT walnut :B!) but, if so, is definitely not ‘select’ grade?
It is starting to divulge its secrets but the original method of hingeing the writing surface isn’t a secret it has given up yet!

[John Saxton]

I haven’t done a ‘Silent Witness’ forensic assessment yet but the only thing I have noticed is that the handles, which I had presumed to be bone, seem to be ‘translucent bakelite’ which would date it to about 1920 at the earliest? I can’t yet find photographs of any similar pieces to help date it so I’m going to stick with “about 1930” until I find otherwise?
I remember my mother had a set of cuttlery with bone handles handed down from her parents ,this may suggest the time period you were looking at
It may be a thing from that era that appealed!

[Xanthorrhoeas]

The drop-front desks and desk bookcase/china cabinet combinations were very popular in the early 1900s. The hinges often broke out when people neglected to pull out the support slides. The slides on yours seem to be lacking their knobs/drops so that would explain why the hinges have broken out so badly.

I've attached a couple of photos that shows one that my mother owned with the flap/desk dropped and the support slides in place as well with one closed. I thought this one was Tas oak but the person who bought it thought it was Queensland Maple. You can see the slides have small pulls on the end. It looks like your support slides are missing theirs.
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[Xanthorrhoeas]

P.S. You can see that this one also has simple butt hinges, which are quite strong enough as long as the support slides are utilised. I have another item that utilises strap hinges instead.

The support slides seem to use a couple of different techniques to raise them to the correct level as they are pulled out. One of mine has an angled slot through it with a bar trough the slot so that the slide rises up on the bar - very ingenious. I'm not sure what the mechanism is for the one in the photo above.

[fletty]

Thanks Xanth’
I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that this piece, which never made any claims to being fine furniture, uses at least 2 different timbers one of which looks like Qld maple! I think however that I have solved the puzzle of the writing surface geometry. I HAD presumed that, when closed, it fitted flush with the drawer and cabinet door fronts but that wasn’t supported by the remaining evidence of the hinge placement, but then I ‘found’ the stops that the panel rested against ......

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.... which indicate that the writing surface sits at rather a jaunty angle when closed but is flush with the bottom surface of the desk cubicle when open! I’ll prop it in place and take a pic.

[NCArcher]

Is that so that it stays closed under it's own power? No catch.
The slide out desk supports cant be very long. Can you slide them out and show us with the desk on top?

[Xanthorrhoeas]

Yes, indeed. If you look at the photo of my mother's desk above you can see that, like yours, the bottom edge of the drop desktop actually projects out above the cupboards below. That seems to be one of the ways that they were made.

The earlier example of a dropdown desktop that I have is different. The face of the item is vertical and the drop desktop is hinged from an internal level surface that forms the back of the desktop when open - if that description makes sense.

[fletty]

If my detective work is correct, this is how the writing surface will sit when closed...

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and with the supports extended....

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and where the writing surface will sit when open...

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Im guessing that the ‘awkward’ position when closed was secondary to the desirable flat continuous surface when open?
I have also found a feint pencil line which seems to have been scribed to locate the stop block which, in turn, puts the writing surface at its jaunty angle.

[fletty]

I’ve been thinking about this over my morning coffee and have started ‘channeling’ the original maker. His name was Joseph and he was commissioned to make a very narrow secretaire on a budget. He designed the piece as he went and used timbers and the leadlight left over from earlier projects. He got right to the end including having shellacked all of the pieces and then realised that he couldn’t have the writing surface both continuous with the inside surface when open AND flush with the front when closed. He agonised over the problem but decided NOT to confer with his customer. He took out his 12” rule and trusty carpenter’s pencil, drew a line (which is still visible) on top of the shellac from the front edge of the desk opening and as long as the already completed writing surface, mounted 2 stop blocks angled to the pencil line, rebated for an odd length piece of piano hinge (which was also left over from another job), mounted the writing surface at the jaunty angle and delivered it to his customer explaining that this jaunty angle was now all the rage in London.
The rest is history........

fletty

[fletty]

I stayed up until the early hours of this morning discussing this secretaire with Joseph. It seems that, even though we are separated by almost a century, he also likes red wine! We have come up with a solution to the writing surface geometry issue which will allow for a flush surface when open AND closing flush with the front surface when closed! Joseph has confirmed that this was what he always wanted when he originally made it but time pressure beat him!
I will sketch the solution later but I may need to open another bottle of 2010 Shadrach Shiraz to remind me of all of the details.

fletty

[OldGrain]

Hi Fletty. Might i suggest the handles could be - bandalasta. Very interesting web site btw. gordo

[fletty]

We have come up with a solution to the writing surface geometry issue which will allow for a flush surface when open AND closing flush with the front surface when closed! Joseph has confirmed that this was what he always wanted when he originally made it but time pressure beat him!

fletty

I got back on to the secretaire today after a few weeks of other jobs. As noted above, the challenge was to come up with a hinge design that;

allowed the horizontal fixed component to go the front face to cover the drawer AND
allowed the moveable portion to be flush with the front face when closed BUT
provide a flat continuous writing surface of both the fixed and moveable portions when open

After some further red wine ‘channeling’ sessions with the original maker, we came up with the following geometry...

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.... where the left component is fixed to the front edge of the shelf and the right component is fixed to the edge of the moveable flap that closes off the writing area when closed but creates the flat writing surface when open. This simple hinge and it’s geometry based on the following....

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..... took an inordinate amount of QUALITY Shiraz to resolve!

[Bushmiller]

"Let schoolmasters puzzle their brain
with grammar literature and learning.
Good liquor I stoutly maintain,
gives genius a better discerning."

Regards
Paul

[fletty]

The front edge of the shelf that the hinge would mount to, needed to be machined back to both remove the timber damaged by several prior attempts to mount hinges and to make clearance for the new hinge...

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I clamped a plank across the top to provide a horizontal datum to set the amount of timber to be removed and it’s edge provided a vertical datum for the pattern follower router bit so that ONLY the shelf and not it’s supports were machined.
The result was the shelf being routered back to the right depth and all of the damaged timber being removed.

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[DaveTTC]

Looks like a fine approach.

Cant remember. Does it have side pulls to support desk? If so will you make them automatic slides as some were?

Looks like you do have slides. Was at hospital with patch on eye. Still have patch but at home now (just a scratch, nothibg serious). I started reply and took me sometime time to finish with birse and doctor coming in and out

DaveTTC
The Turning Cowboy
Turning Wood Into Art

[fletty]

I did various trial fits and ‘tweaks’.....

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...... before glueing AND NAILING :o the hinge pieces to the front edge of the shelf and the bottom edge of the flap. By knock-off tonight, I had also stained all of the new work and fitted the hinge. I’m very happy with the result with the writing surface being flat but closing flush with the front surface and the drawer being fully covered when the flap is closed :hpydans:

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fletty

[fletty]

It’s raining here at Camden and it’s been months since I last enjoyed it’s lullaby on the iron roof of the shed. I got some quality time on the secretaire today as the various finishes didn’t dry up as soon as I opened their containers, so here is the progress today.

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The last pic in the last thread shows some significant colour variation which needed to be corrected so I sanded back the outer faces of both the writing surface and drawer and started the (tedious :~!) process of sneaking up on the right colour. That process so far has been Feast Watson (FW) Oak stain, shellac, and FW Brown Japan stain. Although in some light the colour doesn’t look close enough the difference is probably only the current lack of gloss finish. Where I have applied a few coats of shellac the colour is looking much closer.

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I’ll leave a sealed and loaded rubber next to the secretaire and, each time I walk past it, I’ll give the needy surfaces another coat.
Now, I don’t know the sequence of thoughts that others go through when they have lost something but I go from ‘currently misplaced’ all the way through to ‘some b@stard has stolen it’ but, at the moment, the key to all 5 locks is currently misplaced.......

[NCArcher]

Check in the draw/cupboard of the secretaire. That's where I would put it 'for safekeeping'

[fletty]

check in the draw/cupboard of the secretaire. That's where i would put it 'for safekeeping'

:b:b:b

[fletty]

Look what NCArcher found....... THERE’S ANOTHER ONE!

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It was/is on sale on Facebook today for $35 ( “ideal restoration project” etc) but I can’t open the post. However, it does confirm that, as per my detective work, the writing surface does indeed close on an angle. I wonder if my channeling with the original maker will result in any other remaining examples suddenly closing flush :roll:?

[fletty]

I have been advised by a much higher authority, that this secretaire is to be a KEEPER. After going through the grief of negotiating what other piece will go out to make room for it, I discovered to my horror that.....

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There will be serious words with Joseph later tonight! I mean, who would make a secretaire that won’t take a bottle of Scotland’s finest?
Now that it will remain here and my reputation can remain untarnished (pun intended), I might change a few things that wont be historically accurate? For example, the unsymmetric mounting of handles must have been done the morning after Joseph had been on a bender .... or more probably, during said bender!
The new hinge arrangement, which corrected Joseph’s other bender outcome, the jaunty angle of the writing surface, introduces a neat and visible brass hinge line. This encourages me to change the handle mounting screws to unlacquered brass to match the hinge? The current mounting screws have been solder filled to turn the brass to silver...ish and fill the slot. Filling the screw driver slots on the screw heads means that the ( cr@ppy, square) nuts have had to be turned to fix the handles, leaving this terrible divot on the inside surfaces...

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Ill get some cylindrical nuts made for the mountings that are visible!

[Xanthorrhoeas]

Look what NCArcher found....... THERE’S ANOTHER ONE!


That one is seriously weird - I have never seen bracket feet inside bracket feet before. Is there any sign on yours that it had a similar arrangement? Also, while I would never usually recommend changing a handle arrangement, I have to agree that those "jaunty" angled handles would be hard to live with!

[fletty]

That one is seriously weird - I have never seen bracket feet inside bracket feet before. Is there any sign on yours that it had a similar arrangement? Also, while I would never usually recommend changing a handle arrangement, I have to agree that those "jaunty" angled handles would be hard to live with!

The shadows on that pic seem to indicate that the front ‘bows’ outwards. If so, then it would need the extra set of feet to stop it from toppling forward? Joseph must have had a bad day when he made THAT one!

[NCArcher]

The two side panels are angled towards the front. It's easier to see in other photos.
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[Xanthorrhoeas]

Mmmn, it is still weird! Double bracket feet - excessive, even for this period IMHO.

[fletty]

Mmmn, it is still weird! Double bracket feet - excessive, even for this period IMHO.

:whs:

[artme]

Love your threads Fletty!! Both for the information and the humour!!:2tsup::2tsup::2tsup:

I have an Art Deco era/style silky oak dressing table awaiting some of my attention, I dare not say skill!!:rolleyes:
Nothing so complex as your efforts but a piece I feel is worth the effort.

The handles are missing and so is the mirror so here will be some searching to do in that regard. Unfortunately the
piece was painted - several times.The previous owner has stripped the unit to some extent and my main concern is
getting paint from the open grain. Looks like a case of a good stripper and steel wool and water!

[Xanthorrhoeas]

Hi artme - it would be good to post some pics in a new thread. Northern Silky Oak can be damaged by some stripping methods and, after stripping, the very open grain structure can lead to splitting. Remember too that NSO often comes naturally with white crystals in the grain - so they don't need to be stripped out. It may be one reason it was often stained darker - to hide the crystals.
David

[fletty]

The (much anticipated) package from Watson Brass arrived in the mail today....

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With my my usual disclaimer (I have no connection whatsoever to the company) they are my go-to,supplier for restoration, and especially Chinese style, brass and bronze cabinet hardware. They are based in Northern NSW and (Easter excepted!) they supply within a few days.
Unfortunately I couldn’t get exactly the same key escutcheon.....

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... and the convex rather than concave sides means that the escutcheon doesn’t actually cover the rather cavalier large round hole drilled for key clearance. I’ll talk to Joseph about this later! If I was going to sell the piece I would probably plug the round hole and cut a new, shaped keyhole but....
I also ordered 2 new woodscrew bronze knobs for the writing surface supports and fitted them. This one pic shows a sample of all of the old and new brassware...

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I am am now encouraged to replace the bolts in the handles with brass screws and either chemically ‘age’ them or let nature take its course. I will still proceed with circular brass threaded bushings to replace the ‘orrible steel hex nuts that have chewed the timber so much especially on the VERY visible writing surface.
fletty

[fletty]

Yup.....

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..... definitely a keeper! I have spoken to Joseph about the desk compartment being too low to hold bottles of booze only to be told that he was in fact a Quaker! He did suggest however that the top book shelves could be arranged to hold booze ....... or at least, that is what he had been told?

fletty

[peterlonz]

I am no expert on Aussie made furniture of the period.
But it was quite common to use two timber species (maybe more) in the construction; partly I think because these pieces were never "high end".
Repairs around hinges, handles & drawer slides always consume much time & in my experience it's generally difficult to hide completely.
In my "restorations" I usually do a complete strip of all stain & varnish/laquer. This allows easier matching of any inserts required to repair.
Today's tastes are very different, & the old traditional dark stains are not well suited (IMHO) to todays home interiors. Light or natural works best.
Good luck & BTW I would select better condition pieces if available, initial cost is irrelevant considering the many hours spent in restoration.

[Xanthorrhoeas]

Hi Peter,
Sometimes the "many hours spent in restoration" is what it is all about - the fun of it.

Historically, a lot of furniture has been altered to fit the fashions of the time - such as changing from light to dark or dark to light finishes. That probably works for the owners at the time but it also shreds the long-term value of furniture. The highest prices achieved for antiques are invariably those that have an original or very old finish.
David

[auscab]

I am no expert on Aussie made furniture of the period.
But it was quite common to use two timber species (maybe more) in the construction; partly I think because these pieces were never "high end".


Plenty of high end furniture has secondary timbers of different species sometimes its lesser or cheaper quality. Most furniture is built that way . There is a period with Aussie furniture where all the wood was Red Cedar , exterior and interior. This was after 1788 or when they started using it, after it was discovered, to 1850 roughly . Its seen on better quality and common stuff in this period.

[Xanthorrhoeas]

That is absolutely correct. The other interesting thing is that today, we think of veneered furniture as being lower quality because it is veneered on rubbish board, but back then the very best furniture was almost always veneered at least in part.

The 2-3 mm thick veneers were hand-sawn from choice-figured timber glued onto solid timber using hide glue. Sometimes the solid timber was the same species e.g. Huon Pine on Huon Pine or cedar on cedar, but sometimes the carcass was a different, cheaper and more readily available timber. Exceptions to the veneering rule are found with Blackwood, although in the best pieces that was string-inlaid.

Functional furniture used in kitchens and the private rooms (by definition not the best as that was reserved for drawing rooms, libraries and dining rooms - the rooms open to visitors) was not veneered or inlaid as it was often scrubbed bare to keep it clean and then just waxed.