Posted 5 years ago
TheTomato
(6 items)
Someone posted these rockers for free after some squirrels knawed away on them. The weave, however is in great shape so I snatched them up and am trying my very best to bring them back to life with a lot of wood filler, sandpaper, and patience. I know... I should have left it to the pros :-( But, free right? Though it's barely legible, on the arm, I could make out "Keene, NH" in the reddish stripes on the left arms and after some googling, I believe they came from Burdett Chair Manufacturing Co. I intended to just fix these up and keep them for myself but now curiosity has gotten the better of me and despite the nibbles, might they have more value- is it even worth an appraisal? I found some similar but older posts that might help and lead me to believe they could be 90-130 years old. Wondering if it's worth just enjoying the fruits of my labor or if an appraisal is worth pursuing (knowing I have attempted restoration myself).
The finials on the tops of mine look similar to the ones on this chair:
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/109914-looking-for-info-on-porch-rocker
An appraisal won't do you any good unless you can authenticate the maker. "I believe they came from" isn't authentication. Keene NH and the surrounding area was full of furniture manufacturers years ago. Some of the old factories are still standing and in use. Even if you do get them authenticated somehow, I would seriously question paying for an appraisal just based on the condition. No wood filler ever made will repair the damage and last.
Thanks fhrjr2! Only a portion of the mark remains so it will remain a mystery. My gut told me they were too damaged to hold much value but there's always the draw of "what if?" I hope to do them justice.
Took a long time but thought I'd share results :-) https://www.instagram.com/p/CAqsbQhjeWu/