Posted 10 years ago
mgleone
(10 items)
This cradle was recently given to me. It was my dad's. He was born in 1929. Don't know much about it other than that. It has no screws or metal parts. It's in solid condition but I am curious how I can identify a possible manufacturer. There are no markings or. Labels. On it. We had carpenters in the family. Is it possible that it was hand made?
I would call it vintage as opposed to antique. From what little you can see in the pictures, the parts were machine cut. I call this somewhat of a transition cradle. Earlier pieces had a full wooden bottom. Then they went to slats (like this one) and finally to springs. While your dad may have been born in 1929 I believe this was made somewhat after that. Closer pictures of the joints and of the connection to the rocker skids would be helpful.
I'm not sure if I can add additional photos the legs have slits and the rockers simply fit into the slits. There is no hardware involved anywhere on it. . I've seen other cradles that date back to turn of the century with slats and we are certain this was my dad's baby cradle.
So you have seen an authenticated cradle with slats in a machine cut rabbet that are turn of the century. I guess I stand corrected. People here teach me every day.
I have seen authenticated cradles with slats, yes. You had asked about the joints. They are all mortise and tenon.
Wouldn't a rabbet be an area at the edge of the board? I would think that this cradle has either a dado or a groove.
In theory you are right, depending where you come from. Both rabbet and dado joints are cut with the same cutter or technique and the terms are commonly inter changed. I suppose you could say groove, slot or anything else that fits the situation. The fact still remains it was machine made. When you state the age of this you are talking the great depression years. I am not putting your piece down but I think you are over estimating it. Obviously it has a value but the value isn't a night out on the town.
Maybe a steak and drinks for two.
I am not trying to place monetary value on it. It's an heirloom and therefore priceless. I was trying to find out if it was machine or hand made. I had the question because my great grandfather was a carpenter and did make some furniture over the years.
I am wondering what made you think the piece was made years after 1929. Mortise and tenon gives a clue and certainly machine made furniture dates back to the 1860's. I'm certainly learning from this site as well.
Traditional woodworking is traditional woodworking. Those terms as you say are not interchangeable no matter where I come from. If I was told to cut a rabbet into a panel and I cut a groove/dado it'd be totally different. It looks like the spindles were machine cut on a lathe the more I look at it but probably by someone tooling it with hand held lathe tools. The beading would have been tough by machine and was likely hand cut.
You go for the traditional, I learned old world techniques so obviously we have a major difference of opinion or language barrier. You are quoting what you read on Google rather than speaking from actual experience. If you were actually that smart on your own, you wouldn't be here asking questions. Sooner or later you will get a reply that agrees with your opinion and you can be happy.
As for the mortise and tenon joints, I have been milling them for over 45 years and that is probably longer than you have been alive.
I agree with fhr-- vintage piece and not hand crafted.
scott
Thanks for the first chuckle all week. I'm not quoting Google. I do know some basic woodworking but asked a pretty specific question and received feedback that the piece was not 1929 although there are photos of my dad sleeping in the cradle. I also was alerted that its net worth was equivalent to steak and a couple of drinks. Aren't you witty? Its fine to disagree but reactingin an insulting manner because I happen to know a few things that bruised your ego is embarrassing. And by the way I,wish I was only 45.
Thank you. I think we all agree that it is not handcrafted. I would however think that 1929 would be considered antique. I must be mistaken. i always thought antique was 50 years old or older.
100 years is the standard for furniture.
Also, I would be surprised if the spindles were worked "by someone tooling it with hand held lathe tools". Of course I am not in possession of the piece, so you're at an advantage.
scott
Thanks. I wasn't aware that 100 years is the timeline. Now I am. I thought maybe handheld because by looking it looks like there are some inconsistencies. I guess I could measure with a caliper if I really want to know. It doesn't really matter to me if it's machine or hand made but all the history I received was that it belonged to my dad as a baby. My curiosity really stemmed from my great grandfather's occupation and was trying to determine if there was a possibility that perhaps he'd made it. I'm reaching the conclusion that he did not. Thanks for your input.