Inlaid Cherry Work Table, ca. 1810
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GUEST:
This is a table that my mother gave me, probably 30 years ago. And she would buy her furniture then out of, like, junk stores. It was pretty much in this condition when she gave it to me. It's been in the basement recently, so I would love to know, after all these years, what it is.
APPRAISER:
And where was she doing her buying?
GUEST:
In Columbus, Ohio, area.
APPRAISER:
Okay. It's an inlaid cherry, one-drawer work table. It's got lots of great features, from the central star inlay, the fan inlays in the corner. It's got these elongated fans and ovals down here. String inlaid on the legs. We think that it's probably from Kentucky or Tennessee, and there are lots of collectors of Kentucky and Tennessee furniture. The fans have shown up in Tennessee. The stars have shown up in Kentucky as well as Ohio. It's cherry. The secondary wood here is poplar. And you said you don't have any idea what it's...?
GUEST:
I would be shocked if it was worth over $50. (laughs)
APPRAISER:
Okay.
GUEST:
So I'd be happy if it were worth over...
APPRAISER:
Well, prepare to be shocked, then. It has some condition issues, but...
GUEST:
Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
I don't think that really matters. It's honest, it hasn't been refinished, which is great. It looks like it might have been wet. I don't know if it was used as a plant stand at some point. The stand dates from 1810, 1815. Do you have any idea what your mother might have paid for this?
GUEST:
I think she probably got it free. They were a little group of friends in the '60s, they were buying things and they'd trade furniture back and forth.
APPRAISER:
So it could have been a barter situation?
GUEST:
Oh, that's probably what it was. I don't think that she paid anything for it at all.
APPRAISER:
Okay. As far as value...
GUEST:
Mm-hmm?
APPRAISER:
At an auction, if you have people who are interested in Kentucky or Tennessee furniture, it would be estimated in the $6,000 to $8,000 range.
GUEST:
Oh! That's over $50. We can't use it as a TV stand anymore though probably, can we?
APPRAISER:
Tennessee furniture, if it can be nailed down, is exceedingly rare. If it is nailed down with a firm Tennessee attribution, the buyers for that sometimes can go wild, and it probably could exceed the $8,000.
GUEST:
Yeah, wow.
Appraisal Details
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