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Page 26 The Antique Shoppe February, 2019
GREATER ORLANDO Questions &

Kissimmee • Oviedo • Winter Park Common Sense Answers

KISSIMMEE WINTER PARK with Fred Taylor
1. Lanier’s 5. Orange Tree Antique Mall
2. Echoes of Yesterday 6. Gingers Antique Mall I recently purchased a mirror represented as a Federal period piece.

Q. The dealer is reputable, and we bought the piece because we like it.
OVIEDO Whether or not it is authentic will simply be frosting on the cake. The question
3. The Coop is, how can I tell whether the piece is period or replica. What are some of the
4. Oviedo Antique Mall tells? Can you steer me in the right direction? Thanks. —Mark
Marc - What would seem to be the most obvious clue, the glass,
A. probably isn’t because most likely it has been replaced. That would the
first clue especially if the mirror is relatively clear. Most Federal mirror glass,
after two hundred years, now shows some sign of deterioration because of
WE’RE OPEN AGAIN! the methods used to make plate glass during that period. However, the most
telling clues will be found in the work of the frame. The frame will be hand
GINGER'S made and tool marks, i.e. plane marks, chisel marks, saw marks, etc, should
ANTIQUE MALL be plainly visible on the back surfaces of the frame. Also remember that the
Historic Downtown Marketplace “Tin To Tiffany” backs of hand made pieces from that period are seldom totally smooth and
are almost never finished. You should be able to feel the rough spots in the
108 Broadway wood. If the mirror is a reproduction the back surfaces of the frame will be
in the Old McCrory’s Building 2695 W. Fairbanks Ave. entirely smooth as if they had been finish sanded. They may even have finish
Winter Park, FL 32789
Kissimmee, FL (One block West of I-4 at Fairbanks) on them.
407-933-5679 Antiques & Collectibles If there is any hardware on the piece, swivel pins, hanger straps or any
Antiques, Collectibles & Accessories Orientals - Imari - Mud Men ornamentation it should be obvious that it was hand made. You need to
Heisey - Cut Glass - Candelabras spend some serious time with some Federal period reference books looking
for the Home & Garden
Serving the Orlando area for Over 30 Years at comparable mirrors. One such excellent reference is the Winterthur
Family owned and operated for 20 years Wed-Sat 11am-5pm or by appt. • Closed June-Oct. book “American Furniture - The Federal Period” by Charles F. Montgomery,
OPEN: Mon-Sat 10-5:30 407-740-8775 published by Schiffer Publishing. It will help you understand both the mirror
Laniersantiques.com 1 6 and the period. If you can send me some photos, I will be happy to do some
research on your mirror.

Dear Fred – Attached are photos of a piece of furniture I bought at
3
4 Q. auction. I was told it was some sort of icebox, but they didn’t know for
sure. Can you tell me when this piece was made, where it was made, what it is
Geneva for sure and what its value may be? Thanks.

—Fred O. Martinsville, IN
Fred – Your cabinet is a combination icebox/sideboard popular in
A. late 19 and early 20 century. Sears often showed them in catalogs
th
th
5 of the period. They showed one in the 1897 catalog billed as “Our Highest-
6 Grade Acme Dining Room Sideboard and
Refrigerator Combined.” It was priced
at $50, a princely sum in 1897. Other
less elaborate models sold for as little as
$11.47. It was for the convenience of the
housewife, so she could keep things cold in
the dining room without having to run back
and forth to the kitchen yet maintain the
nice look of the dining room. The spigot in
the center panel drains cold water from the
compartment in the top of the icebox.
Yours is made of oak in the Eastlake style
popular in the late century, around 1890-
1900 or so. It probably was factory made in
the mid West and shipped out of Chicago
directly to buyers.
Unfortunately, I do not have a direct
reference on the recent sale of a like item,
so I can’t give you a value. Your best bet is
2 1 to consult a local auctioneer who regularly
handles items of this type from this period.
This cabinet is a combination icebox/ He may have an idea of what things sell for
sideboard from the late 19th century. in your area. Thanks for writing and thanks
The lower compartments kept food cold for the photos.
at tableside while dispensing cold water Continued >
from the tap.