I think it would be interesting to know if someone has further details on the following assumtion: American antiquest typically have veined white marble tops and the high end marble was pure white.
I see a lot of antiques with different color (browns and blacks) marble, but always wonder if the marble is original. If it's a table I can crawl under and look for age, but on a dresser or other type of furniture that can be very difficult. I'm always trying to build my knowledge on authenticity of American antiques so any infor would help. Any thoughts?
American Victorian antiques by marble type
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General Discussion thread on victorianforum.com · started April 19, 2008 by antiquemiser · 3 posts · discussion in 2008.
I think it would be interesting to know if someone has further details on the following assumtion: American antiquest typically have veined white marble tops and the high end marble was pure white. I see a lot of antiques with different color (browns and blacks) marble, but…
I'm certain that colored marble was used and is original to many/ most antiques that it is found on. Case in point: Is the following recent post I posted under auction watch - Stuart Holman auction (copied and pasted below). 2 Dressers (see links to pictures below)-1 currently for sale by Antiquarian traders on ebay - listing states it is stamped G. Herter w/ a brown/ red marble, another identical dresser that just sold @ Stuart Holman's auction - (although no mention of Herter which I'm sure affected the price - someone got a bargain - it is identical except for minor differences noted below) - it also had the same brown/ red marble. Too much of a coincidence that the exact same dressers have the same colored marble and both might have been replaced - I'm sure they are the original colored marble - and they are high end pieces by a high end maker. woodwright
The dresser at the Stuart Holman Auction - (mentioned by Rare Victorian & jcapal) is essentially identical except for a slight difference in the brasses & crest (I think the brasses have been changed and the crest was damaged and a burled button applied which does not fit the dressers details) - even the marble top is the same color as a listing now on ebay by Antiquariantraders - the listing states the 2 pc. set is is stamped G. (Gustave) Herter. The 2 pc. - Bed & Dresser have a BIN @ 140K. They have some nice stuff for sure, and are not afraid to ask for the moon for it (they're in Beverly Hills Ca. though so their reality is different from the rest of the worlds reality - I think they use ebay more for advertising than to sell stuff w/ the prices they ask). Without a mention of Herter on the dresser @ Holmans - it probably went for a very small fraction of what it should/ could have brought. Link to listing on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/Aesthetic-Movement-Kingsize-Bedset-Stamped-G-Herter_W0QQitemZ130193282708QQihZ003QQcategoryZ63550QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262
Link to dresser @ Stuart Holman's auction: http://www.stuartholman.com/spring08/jpgs/_DSC0612.jpg
woodwright
The dresser at the Stuart Holman Auction - (mentioned by Rare Victorian & jcapal) is essentially identical except for a slight difference in the brasses & crest (I think the brasses have been changed and the crest was damaged and a burled button applied which does not fit the dressers details) - even the marble top is the same color as a listing now on ebay by Antiquariantraders - the listing states the 2 pc. set is is stamped G. (Gustave) Herter. The 2 pc. - Bed & Dresser have a BIN @ 140K. They have some nice stuff for sure, and are not afraid to ask for the moon for it (they're in Beverly Hills Ca. though so their reality is different from the rest of the worlds reality - I think they use ebay more for advertising than to sell stuff w/ the prices they ask). Without a mention of Herter on the dresser @ Holmans - it probably went for a very small fraction of what it should/ could have brought. Link to listing on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/Aesthetic-Movement-Kingsize-Bedset-Stamped-G-Herter_W0QQitemZ130193282708QQihZ003QQcategoryZ63550QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262
Link to dresser @ Stuart Holman's auction: http://www.stuartholman.com/spring08/jpgs/_DSC0612.jpg
woodwright
It seems that most rococo pieces had white marble, for instance all Belter and Meeks furniture has white marble as far as i know. Later Renaissance, aesthetic and eastlake pieces, I'm sure had color marble. On the pieces I have with color marble you can see that the marble was on the furniture for a long long time. A dark stain where tannins and other organic materials leeched into the porous marble from the wood prevails on them all. Of course it would probably look that way if marble was replaced, say 50 years ago, but I think exotic marble only added beauty to some of the pieces.
Zeke
Zeke