My latest project completed - Mahogany chest of drawers

[Horsecroft88]

Hi all, nothing too spectacular but nethertheless, I thought I might as well share this one with any who might be interested.

A good mate of mine, who knows of my love of most things Antique, and that I like restoring things, recently contacted me about a chest of drawers he had for sale. From the photo he sent I couldn't tell if it was mahogany or perhaps cedar.

It is sokid mahogany (not veneer over pine), with English oak secondaries and wide baltic pine backing boards. So it is English, and at a guess given the design, I would think probably dates from around 186-1880ish ???

When I received it, it was pretty badly bleached out on the drawer fronts, the top, and the sides were dryish. The shellac finish definitely was past its use by date and there was no point in trying to revive it using wax or other similar products.

The excellent thing about it was that it is really solid, all the joints are in excellent condition, the feet not loose, and the drawers slide well, even though a couple of the drawer runners are worn.

So, it was a matter of either paint stripping off the old shellac and starting from scratch or alternatively using metho and coarse grade steel wool. I went for the third choice which was to sand it using 120, then 180, 220 and finally 360 grade. Once I was satisfied I had cleaned off all the old shellac but still left enough patina (scratchs, bumps, marks etc), I then applied a mahogany stain thinned out with metho and a little shellac. Once I had the base colour I wished to achieve, I then applied multiple coats of shellac, (allowing to dry off in between), using a pad.

I then rubbed back again with 360, applied a little more of my secret herbs and spices stain mix before yet again more coats of shellac, though slightly thinned down. Finally, I used 0000 grade steel wool and a couple of coats of bees wax polish to finish off.

From my estimation, given I worked on the chest after works at night, instead of watching telly, I think it took around 8 hours to complete, over a couple of weeks. Cost of materials probably somewhere around $15.00. Now given that the chest cost me originally $250, it owes me say (if I count my labour at roughly $20/hr) say around $460, though of course technically only $265.

I am planning on putting the chest up for sale, either through ebay or alternatively the local special antique auctions we have here every few months. I am hoping I can get say $500 or more for it. If so I will be happy. Any thoughts from anyone out there if this seems about right and/or what do you think of the final results. Regrettably I failed to take photos, of it prior to and during its light restoration.

[Mike Busby]

I like the finish and the fact you have managed to keep the assorted dings and dents from 100+ years is a bonus. Nice job on the finish and if I had a lazy $500.00 I would put in an offer. Unfortunately my wife has put me on a resticted budget after my last um shopping expeditition to Carbatek.

[Horsecroft88]

Thanks Mike, appreciate the kind feedback. Just so you know I wasn't actually trying to tout for business here on the forum. All I wanted to show was that it is possible to still find quality pieces, restore them for a song and some hard work (well not that hard if you know what I mean), produce a quality result and enjoy the fruits of one's labour.

I would actually keep the chest but I already have another flame mahogany 5 drawer, plus two more projects (a kauri pine duchess and a hall table) both of which need completing, and hopefully once I have all these completed I might be able to raise enough funds to enable purchase of what I really want. A nice colonial 6-8 drawer chest.

If this all works out, it is not too bad a way to fund my next purchase.

BTW, I know what you mean re being on a restricted budget, between our 1826 house restoration project, plus my various Italian classic car restoration projects which need to be completed, I too am on a very tight rein, from the boss !!

Mind you she too needs to curtail her antiques purchasing habit , but that is not something I dare say in her company. I would only loose the debate.

[mcjimmyd]

I agree you've managed to keep the age on it and havent sanded through the color which is the usual sin! The finish is great, 0000 is worth using every time.

[Horsecroft88]

Thanks Mate. Yes I know precisely what you mean. I do have some experience with this sort of thing, and so know what not to do. Absolutely agree, to properly finish off there is nothing like 0000 and good quality bees wax.

I will post an image of another piece (a Huon Pine dresser I previously completed). I have previously posted this piece's restoration, in this case it had been painted, was flaking off, was falling apart and so it was a complete strip down to each component piece, before reconstructing it.

[Horsecroft88]

My next project has just been completed. This time it is a Kauri pine duchess. It was actually the first antique I ever bought, some 22 years ago, but somehow never found the time to restore it. Funnily enough it actually didn't take all that long to complete.

Lately it has been in storage, and given I have just commited to buying an 1830s full cedar 6 drawer chest of drawers for some real $$$, I figured the best way to pay for the 'new' chest, was to sell off some of my other spare antiques that I had no use for anymore. Hence the need to restore the Kauri pine duchess as well. In a way it is a shame I never got around to doing this one earlier, as I am pretty pleased with how well it came up. I also re-polished the top of the large Kauri, blackwood and cedar farmhouse table I had. I will attach some pics of them.

I have put them into the local Antique auction and am hoping they might sell and for a few $$ but suspect that prices are down and I will probably get a lot less for them than I really would like. Oh well, hopefully they will sell and someone else will be able to use and enjoy them.

Hope people like the pictures of them.

[Woodwould]

A good mate of mine, who knows of my love of most things Antique, and that I like restoring things, recently contacted me about a chest of drawers he had for sale. From the photo he sent I couldn't tell if it was mahogany or perhaps cedar.

I'm 99.9% sure it's Cedar and 100% certain it's not mahogany.

[Horsecroft88]

I'm 99.9% sure it's Cedar and 100% certain it's not mahogany.

Hi Wodwould, yes that too was my first reaction when I saw a piccie of it my mate sent me, however, trust me I do know the difference between cedar and mahgony and it is 100% maghony. For one thing, the draw sides and bottoms are English oak, and the grain when you see it is clearly not cedar. The chest is not an Australian piece.

We are restoring an 1826 farmhouse and a significant part of the joinery is cedar, ditto I have many cedar antiques and the grain is quite different close up.

In respect of values, and interestingly both a dealer and the auction people have commented on this specific chest, they believe because the sides have been cut its worth is a lot less (ie. $250-300) than if it hadnt been. Estimations seem to be around what I paid for it before restoring it to a little more. Ditto the pine pieces were also valued pretty low, ie approx $300 for the duchess and even the large table.

If correct, it is pretty disappointing given how well they all came up, and also the prices I have seen for antiques in the shops. I guess that is the difference between auction prices and retail prices.

Cheers anyway, I guess I will see how it goes this Saturday.

[Woodwould]

I'd stake my reputation on that chest not being Mahogany. Plenty of Australian Cedar was shipped back to England, initially as ballast/curio. English cabinetmakers didn't rate it highly at all as a first rate cabinet wood and used it predominantly as a secondary wood for drawer linings and carcases etc.

In later years they did employ Cedar as a show wood, however, I wonder, seeing as your chest's drawer linings are of Oak, if it wasn't originally intended to veneer the chest with Mahogany. I've seen a Pine chest with Oak linings of the highest quality which could only have ever been destined to be veneered. Who knows; the client may have reneged on the deal for any number of reasons, the cabinetmaker may have gone bust, or he may have fallen ill or died before completing the chest.

[ubeaut]

At first look I would have said the same as Woodwould. Molding around the top looks very cedaresh. Yet on a closer look at the pics rest of it looks like very ordinary Honduras Mahogany. Not really sure it's either. Could well be as Woodwould said, carcus timber ready for veneer that never happened or stripped of it's veneer.

Cuts across side panels really stuff it, eh. Would be worth a lot more if it were cedar.

Cheers

[Horsecroft88]

Cheers Neil, wow I think this is the first comment I have possibly received from the benevolant dictator but it is appreciated.

I know precisely what both of you guys are saying but please trust me it is most definitely not cedar. As I say, I have been working with cedar etc for over 20 years and can tell the difference. I agree in the photos it sure could be taken for cedar. Let me post a pic of the 1826 house we are restoring with all of its cedar for comparison, and my rather unusal 3 legged cedar table (which has since been restored).

And yes Woodwould I am aware of cedar being exported to the UK in the early days only to come back here sometimes as furniture, ditto I understand that under such circumstances the use of english oak for secondaries might have been included.

It is solid mahogany and definitely not veneered or prepared for such. I have a flame mahogany veneer chest of drawers which I am also selling. The weight difference of the two carcasses is quite different. The veneer one is over pine and is light as a feather, this one is really heavy. I have a fairly sizeable collection of antique cedar furniture as that is what I collect.

Yes I agree a pity indeed it was cut. According to a dealer I know he mentioned to me this was quite common in the old days, such when a piece of furniture needed to be carried up a narrow staircase, they often cut them in half and then repaired them. Personally though it actually doesn't bother me, and it is incredibly solid, no play in at all. Yes if it were cedar the price/value of it would be so much higher.

[mcjimmyd]

Its the first photo that screams Cedar! The 2nd and 4th show its Mahogany. Oak drawer sides and a cut chest say definitely English. Yet to see a cut chest with oak drawer sides done in Cedar. It's the bung feet that worry me! Sort of Scottish but no provincial styling to the main carcass? Maybe a later add on? Anyway its a really good resto, congratulations.

[Horsecroft88]

Thanks for the feedback mcjimmyd and compliments. Yes I agree re the feet I suspect they are most likely to not be the original ones. Anyway whatever the timber/origin of this piece it is now purely academic as it sold at auction. The price $300.

Oh well would have liked a little more but at least someone now has a nice chest to enjoy, it was spare to my needs. I just enjoyed the process in re-polishing it and bringing it back to life.