About Antique Pine Dressers

History

• Antique pine dressers can be found as far back as the 1600's. They were made for the masses, the ones who could not afford the higher priced woods. They are plainer in style, but they are just as sturdy and well made. The earlier ones tend to be on the small side. The common people did not need large pieces. They did not have that much to store.

Types

• The term dresser can refer to a few different styles of furniture.

  A chest of drawers is a single row of drawers.

  In Europe, a dresser might be called a commode. This dresser usually has 2 or 3 large drawers on the bottom and a single row of 2 small drawers on the top.

  A mule chest is a larger piece. It has 3 rows of 2 large drawers. It also has 3 small drawers on the top row. This style can come with a mirror.

  There is a style of dresser that is used in the kitchen or dining room. It is similar to a cupboard, but the top is not open. It has 2 glass doors.

Features

• There are several features that will tip you off to the actual age of the piece. Pieces made before 1860 were all cut by hand. So there should not be any circular saw marks. 1860 was the year it was invented. The turnings on the legs and other parts were not 100 percent uniform. The drawers in the older pieces were not nailed. They were joined with dovetails, a tab of wood inserted into a slot in the back. In the earlier pieces--before 1860--the dove tails were larger and only four to a side. Later they were smaller, and there could be as much as seven to a side. They were hand made and should look irregular. The same goes for the dowels that hold the whole piece together. They should be rough cut and irregular also. The first nails used in furniture were handmade, and they look like it.

Identification

• Pine is an easy wood to identify. It does not have the fine grain of more expensive wood. The grain will be more uneven, and there will be knots or circles in the wood. It does give pine its distinctive look and the name knotty pine. Make sure that is in the wood firmly. Knots can come loose, and all you will have is a whole in the dresser.

Considerations

• There are several facts to consider when thinking of buying an antique pine dresser . First, pine is one of the most common wood. For that reason, pine pieces were cheaper, and there were a good many made. This fact means they can cost less than other styles from the same period. Pine is a soft wood. That means it can get dented easily. However, that distressed look is considered a feature of pine. Just because it is a soft wood, it does not mean it will not last. There are many pieces that are over 200 years old and still going strong.