Guido Posted January 28, 2018 Report Posted January 28, 2018 Would anyone want to venture a guess as to the age and origin of this case?
vathek Posted January 28, 2018 Report Posted January 28, 2018 Has a Biedermeier look about it to me which would put it mid 19c but that's just my take
Dwight Brown Posted January 28, 2018 Report Posted January 28, 2018 Polished up it would look great in the living room. DLB
GlennYorkPA Posted January 28, 2018 Report Posted January 28, 2018 Ron / Guido, It's quite an interesting case because it falls into the category of 'never seen one like it before'. The interior is disappointing because it looks like so many cheapo, factory produced cases from the period 1890 - 1920, mainly in USA. But the exterior doesn't correspond. It's definitely a cut above average. I thought at first that the veneered sides were tiger maple but it seems the figure is not flame but strong annual rings. Could that be an American wood? I'd like to see the handle in more detail. At first glance it seems like an English drawer pull from the Georgian period but I recently learned that these same handles were copied in the USA in the 19thC so, all things considered, I'm inclined towards an American case c 1880 and of rather refined manufacture. The dark beading is a rare treat for the eyes and it wouldn't look out of place in my collection. Currently, I'm engrossed in baroque period double violin cases contemporary with Stradivari and a collaborative article between Dimitri Musafia and myself will appear in the next edition of The Strad Magazine. Glenn
Rue Posted January 28, 2018 Report Posted January 28, 2018 1 hour ago, GlennYorkPA said: ... Currently, I'm engrossed in baroque period double violin cases contemporary with Stradivari and a collaborative article between Dimitri Musafia and myself will appear in the next edition of The Strad Magazine. Glenn I will be looking forward to reading that!
caerolle Posted January 28, 2018 Report Posted January 28, 2018 I expected to see a vampire inside that...
mood2000 Posted January 29, 2018 Report Posted January 29, 2018 for identification purpose you can find out a lot of information you need to know in this book : " The Art & History of Violin Cases " - by Glenn Wood .
GlennYorkPA Posted January 29, 2018 Report Posted January 29, 2018 The color is right for satinwood but usually the figure/flame is more pronounced. Without seeing it in person I'm more inclined towards an American tree like big leaf maple (?) or Engelmann spruce (?) that has wide and pronounced annual rings. Satinwood would almost certainly suggest European manufacture as it wasn't much used in USA. Glenn
Rue Posted January 29, 2018 Report Posted January 29, 2018 Psst! GlennYorkPA = Dr. Glenn Wood. I wasn't going to give it away...but I felt compelled to...couldn't resist...sorry...
FoxMitchell Posted January 30, 2018 Report Posted January 30, 2018 Interesting videos! Thanks for sharing! I have a few of those 'New Century' cases. Are they worth anything?
Addie Posted January 30, 2018 Report Posted January 30, 2018 Glenn, these are properly termed chest lifts. They are attached with ordinary wood screws. Like their cousins, the rosetted Georgian drawer pulls, they have been made and used continuously since the 18th c. Screws and other clues are used to date them, the biggest clue being context. BTW, there are some nice early hardware catalogues on archive.org
GlennYorkPA Posted January 30, 2018 Report Posted January 30, 2018 18 hours ago, Rue said: Psst! GlennYorkPA = Dr. Glenn Wood. I wasn't going to give it away...but I felt compelled to...couldn't resist...sorry... Shucks - my cover blown! Thanks Rue
GlennYorkPA Posted January 30, 2018 Report Posted January 30, 2018 15 hours ago, FoxMitchell said: I have a few of those 'New Century' cases. Are they worth anything? Not much, I'm afraid. They are only collectors' curiosities these days and need to be in excellent condition to be of any interest at all. If the internal and external conditions are good and it comes with original handle, could make $100 - $150 on eBay. Glenn
GlennYorkPA Posted January 30, 2018 Report Posted January 30, 2018 17 hours ago, Addie said: BTW, there are some nice early hardware catalogues on archive.org Addie, thanks for sharing this amazing resource. I love the way you can click on a page and it flips it over to the next page. This site is going to get a lot of use from me in future. Glenn
Violadamore Posted January 31, 2018 Report Posted January 31, 2018 12 hours ago, GlennYorkPA said: Addie, thanks for sharing this amazing resource. I love the way you can click on a page and it flips it over to the next page. This site is going to get a lot of use from me in future. Glenn In case there's anyone else here unaware of it, archive.org is a bottomless mine of priceless research goodies. Is the OP case what you find if you remove the black paint most of these things are covered in?
GlennYorkPA Posted January 31, 2018 Report Posted January 31, 2018 8 hours ago, Violadamore said: In case there's anyone else here unaware of it, archive.org is a bottomless mine of priceless research goodies. Is the OP case what you find if you remove the black paint most of these things are covered in? Yes, that resource needs to be better known. I don't see how it is funded or monetized. Refreshingly free from adverts. Trust me, the black paint on cheap coffin cases is only covering cheap pine. It never covers nice veneers. The only example I can think of where black finish covers something interesting is the environment protection case offered by W.E. Hill and Sons in the early 20thC. The idea was to protect the violins of colonialists in India during the time of the British Raj. I stripped the scratched black paint off one of these to reveal the stainless steel underneath then subsequently learned that the Hills were proud of the black Japan finish they applied over the metal. Glenn
GlennYorkPA Posted February 1, 2018 Report Posted February 1, 2018 On 1/29/2018 at 7:18 PM, Addie said: Glenn, these are properly termed chest lifts. Addie, the significance of your statement only just struck me. So a 'chest lift' to go on top of a case or box is different from a 'drawer pull'? What's the difference? I've noticed that sometimes the handle will rotate 180 degrees and on others, the handle is blocked so it can only rotate 90 degrees between the vertical and one horizontal direction. Is that the difference? Glenn
Addie Posted February 1, 2018 Report Posted February 1, 2018 Hi, Glenn, I think I misidentified the handle: it does look like a drawer pull used as a handle, which was quite common as you know. Rotation was often limited on pulls to keep the bail from rubbing on the varnish. Rotation on chest lifts was also limited to keep the fingers from getting pinched between the bail and the wood. Some reproductions (Horton Brasses):
Addie Posted February 1, 2018 Report Posted February 1, 2018 Top, chest lift. Wood screws. Bottom, drawer pull. Integral machine screws.
Addie Posted February 1, 2018 Report Posted February 1, 2018 On January 31, 2018 at 12:36 AM, Violadamore said: ... Is the OP case what you find if you remove the black paint most of these things are covered in? I think the earlier ones tend to be covered in what was called black varnish. IMHO, the OP case has lost its top veneer.
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