[UPDATE: This dresser sold to a young couple in Philadelphia and now resides in their 1920s home along side other antiques.]
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| Without all the hardware, my husband is holding it up for the photo |
Repurposing furniture or renewing furniture with a fresh coat of paint is the new craze these days but sparing an antique is not so popular. Sometimes, history is worth saving from the paint brush so it can be appreciated for just as it was meant to be. When I came upon this old 3 drawer dresser with the swivel mirror, it was covered in spider egg sacks, lots of dust and in need of a good oil rub. I brought it home and thought about a "project". It wasn't until I started researching the label on the back that I decided to spare this dresser the paint brush or sander and maintain it the best I could as a piece of history.
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| The Woodard Furniture company, 1880-1930 |
Afterall, Woodard Furniture was known for it's high quality wood and craftsmanship. When the quality wood was no longer available in 1930, the company turned to the wrought iron patio furniture business that they are known for today. This dresser that I had acquired was no exception to their quality. It was rock solid and had stood the test of time of 100+ years. It deserved to keep on standing in all it's beauty. So I got to work to expose the beautiful details that made it known for it's quality. With a litte lemon oil on the inside (to get rid of the old smell) and a cleaning on the outside to evict the spiders, we were on our way. I ordered new mirror hardware, only to discover later that all the original pieces were there. I'm sure in the end this would look great covered in chalk paint, or turned into something new. I have no doubt. But with the history this holds, I wanted to spare one and keep it "as is" for a little longer. Look at the details below.
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| Dovetail drawers |
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| Gorgeous wood after a little lemon oil |
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| Keyholes on every drawer |
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| Corner moulding |
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| Almost finished, you can just smell the history! |
