Driscolls Antiques – Antique Furniture Blog

We have just listed for sale the most stunning Huge Victorian Oak Antique Library Bookcase ca. 1840 and thought we would publish additional pictures as it is such a superb piece, so needed additional images. The antique bookcase has a break fronted moulded cornice above ten glazed doors with moulding and each interior has adjustable shelves. It stands on a moulded break fronted plinth, has its original back boards and is a gorgeous warm, light oak with a striking grain, good patina, is in very good condition and has been beautifully cleaned using a traditional form of wax finishing.

as you can see it is a magnificent antique bookcase and you do not get many of such a large size that come onto the market. please see our antiques website for further details. 

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A nice selection of antique chest on chests

Usually an antique chest on chest or also known as antique tall boys are very difficult to come across and they do sell very quickly so usually we would only have the one in stock at any one time. For some reason we seem to have put up for sale four that have all come into stock and I thought I would let you know as if you want a good antique chest on chest and also want a selection, now is the time to look at our website. We have a Regency Mahogany Chest on Chest dating from around 1810 with a moulded cornice above two over six graduating oak lined cock beaded drawers with oval brass handles. The antique chest on chest stands on splayed bracket and is in very good condition and has been beautifully cleaned using a traditional form of wax finishing.

Or if you are looking for a superb quality example we have a Quality George III Mahogany Antique Chest on Chest / Tallboy with a moulded cornice with dental moulding above a flame mahogany figured frieze and has two over six graduating oak lined cock beaded drawers with oval brass handles. The antique chest on chest stands on shaped bracket feet and has a striking grain and good patina.

If you are limited for room we have a very small Quality Georgian Inlaid Mahogany Antique Chest on Chest with a moulded cornice above a flamed mahogany frieze and has two over six cock beaded graduating oak lined drawers with striking satinwood cross banding and boxwood and ebony string inlay along with oval brass handles.

A more unusual example is our Georgian Antique Mahogany Secretaire Chest on Chest with a moulded cornice with dentil moulding and three over three graduating mahogany lined, cock beaded drawers with brass handles, key and working lock and the sides are canted with blind fret work carving at the top. The lower section has a deep double drawer over three graduating mahogany lined cock beaded drawers. The deep drawer opens and unfolds to reveal a black leather writing insert, several small mahogany lined drawers, pigeon holes, a central inlaid cupboard door and reeded pull out slides with a locking mechanism. The antique chest on chest stands on shaped bracket feet, has original oak back boards, and is a beautiful piece of antique furniture.

All are currently available to buy on our antique furniture website.

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We have had this message sent to us from Lapada and are displaying it on our antiques blog to see if anyone can help -

LAPADA Director John Dixon of Georgian Antiques asks for your help. 

The following snuff mull was stolen from a  private club in Canada a few years ago. John has been asked to see if he can find a similar one to replace it.

Any help you might be able to provide in locating the original snuff mull or finding a similar one for sale, would be very much appreciated.

If anyone can help, please contact LAPADA direct and they can pass any details onto John Dixon.

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The Practicality of Antique furniture

The purchasing of antiques furniture can involve lots of research and studying to ensure the piece will be most suitable for your decor and to fit into your lifestyle but one main thing to remember is don’t forget the practicality of the piece.

Don’t just buy a piece of antique furniture because it may look pretty but also buy a piece so it is usable and will function as a practical piece of furniture. It is good to buy antiques as an investment but it should still be used, so it will offer two benefits, a usable piece of furniture and hopefully a very good investment. A good antique chest of drawers can hold many clothes and are built much more sturdy than the modern equivalent. An antique desk can be displayed and enjoyed as working pieces of furniture and are usually just as practical but more characterful to look at.

Selecting antique furniture can be a difficult process but at the end of the day you will own a practical, quality, usable, well built piece of furniture with charm and character and will hopefully increase in value over the years rather than fall to pieces like some modern furniture.

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Where were antique Oak Settles used?

Today a good antique oak settle would be used in many areas like your hall way or even in a kitchen but originally they were used for seating and were often used in taverns and in country pubs. Very often you can still see these very nice antique settles in pubs today and most will have been there for many years. Driscolls Antiques get very good quality examples of antique oak settles still in very good condition and from early periods such as the Georgian period. As many of these settles are over 200 years old imagine how many people will have sat on these benches and over the years but what is also amazing is how they are still in solid usable condition. They usually have a cushioned seat or slatted oak boards and stand on a cariole leg with a raised back. You can sometimes see examples with curved backs. As these pieces are very early in date they usually have pegged construction and lots of beautiful character from years of use. If you are interested in purchasing a good quality antique settle we have just acquired one from the Georgian Dating from around 1760. It is constructed from oak and is full of character. It is of pegged construction, has a raised back with shaped moulded panels along with shaped arms. It has cabriole front legs and an upholstered squab seat, it would be a stunning piece to add to your antique furniture collection. See our website for more details.

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A LAPADA member has very sadly  had a valuable painting stolen in transit from Scotland to London and so I am showing all my readers a photo and description of the antique. asked The antique painting is by  Stanislas Lepine,  Le Pont d’Lena, oil on canvas, 16 x 27.5 inches. If you are offered this painting please decline purchasing it and either contact the LAPADA office or the police.

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Watch your pennies as they might be worth more than you think!

When you think of a one penny or a one cent you usually think there is not a great deal you can buy with this anymore but recently a one cent American copper coin from 1793 has sold for a $1.38 million at a Florida auction is USA.

The coin was made at the Mint in Philadelphia in 1793, the first year that the US made its own coins.

This is the highest a United States copper coin has ever sold for at auction but is still nowhere near the record among American coins which is the 1933 ‘Double Eagle’ the only legal copy of a coin that never made it into circulation. It sold at a 2002 auction for $7.59 million.

The previous record belonged to an 1804 silver dollar that was bought in 1999 for $4.14 million.

So watch your pennies as they might be worth a lot more than you think! But if you don’t have a very valuable coin and are looking for a good investment for the future, have a look at our quality antique furniture.

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The last Delivery comments of 2011

Here are a few comments I thought I would share with you from items we delivered just before Christmas. If you would like to have any comments published from antique furniture you have purchased from us we would love to hear from you.

James

Thank you – all safely arrived, and staying!

Best wishes

Bill

Antique dining table, 10 chairs and a side table

Delivered at 3 minutes past nine.  I’m impressed!

It looks very good in the position we had chosen – we are very pleased with it.

Thank you

Andrew

Antique sideboard

Hi James, the wardrobe arrived promptly at 5 past 11.  Many thanks to you and to the delivery men, who struggled upstairs with it but with great care.  It looks very well.   Stephen

Antique wardrobe

James

Just to say I’m delighted with the sideboard. It’s exactly as you described.

But more importantly to comment on your delivery guys –

Firstly they were bang on time, extremely polite, very efficient and carried the piece right up the stairs with no comment or complaint whatsoever. Placed it exactly where I asked. Refused offers of tea or coffee, just got on with it. They did a fantastic service!

I’ve not had many deliveries to my flat by such affable & accomodating gentlemen. They are a credit to you.

Please pass on my thanks & appreciation for their perfect service.

Kind regards

John

Antique wardrobe

Dear James Driscoll,
The chest of drawers arrived Saturday morning – at 6.30 a.m.!  It’s perfect, I’m delighted with it, thank you.  I will definitely keep an eye on your website.
Margaret

Antique chest of drawers

Sorry it has taken me so long to let you know that our chiffonier arrived and we love it!

It is the first time that we bought an antique online and we’d like to thank you for making it such a great experience.

Best,

Ellen

Antique chiffonier

Hi James

We’re extremely pleased with the furniture – many thanks!

There are some other things we need so we’ll keep an eye on your web-site.

Kind regards.

Michael

Antique bookcase and antique card table

Hello James,
The chiffonier arrived safely. It’s really perfect for my dining room.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Michèle

Antique chiffonier

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Thieves target Mouseman Furniture

A large amount of burglaries between October and December have seen pieces of antique furniture by Robert Thompson also known as mouseman furniture, stolen from rural churches in Yorkshire.

Police have asked for antique dealers to contact them if they are offered any of the stolen items of mouseman furniture so please be aware if any are offered over the next few months.

The items are an octagonal oak table bearing the Mouseman signature was taken from All Saints’ Church, in Kirby Overblow.

A pair of side chairs was taken from St Oswald’s Church in Arncliffe.

A Thompson table with a brass presentation plaque from the Church of Immaculate Conception in Sicklinghall, near Harrogate.

A Thompson bishop’s antique chair from Burnsall and Appletreewick Parochial Church.

A Mouseman lectern was stolen from St Peter’s Church in Sicklinghall.

PC Claire Brown of the Harrogate Priority Crime Team said: "Stealing from churches is a pretty callous and heartless crime. The thefts are likely to have occurred during the day while the churches were open, and many of the items are heavy and would have required at least two people to lift them."

Anybody with information should contact PC Brown on 0845 6060 247 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Please be aware of any mouseman furniture offered and especially if offered from a van. If in doubt refuse the items and take the number plate of the van and pass these details onto the police.

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Probably the most expensive chip we have ever shown on the Antiques Roadshow

Recently on the antiques roadshow a Vase appeared that had a very small chip, but this chip cost him £12,000. The vase, which would have been worth £14,000 without the chip, would now sell for just £2,000 and what’s worse is it was accidentally chipped while wrapping it up to be valued.

The positive news was it only cost £3 at a car boot sale so he was still in profit by £1997.

Experts on the Antiques Roadshow, said it was the most expensive chip they had ever seen.

The vase was a three-legged Japanese porcelain vase ca. 1900 and had been used as an incense burner. It had two fish depicted on the side of the vase and would look stunning on any piece of antique furniture.

Be very careful when transporting your antiques as it can be a very costly.

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