New Stuff
Gary Smyth
Once or twice a year the planets align and you find something. So it was this past weekend. In one of the ritzier sections of Pittsburgh, Mt. Lebanon, in a enclave named Virginia Manor, there is “old money” where the residents pay big for the benefit of living there. Often they are furniture savvy and know what they have. For those of us who make the rounds, the prices there are either astronomical or the contents weeded to such an extent that the sales are moving the dregs of stuff they don’t want to pay to remove - or donate.
This was different. The youngish daughter, (the new owner) of her parent’s home (the previous resident since the 1940’s), determined that she wanted to start anew. Contractors were to start today, so everything was almost literally up for grabs.
I wasn’t at the front of the line, but I bought two items, EACH for less than the cost of a tank of gas. The country table is primitive, pegged joints, turned legs, and, but, the top is one board, 1 1/8 thick x 34” long x 17” wide. There are screws in hand chiseled pockets anchoring at the rear. One minor crack on an edge, but no concern. Has to be approaching 100 years old, if not over.
The second item is a cellarette or deed box on stand. I was informed it is veneered Elm but I don’t know. A woman who passed it by said that it made CD’s she wanted to store in it too deep and hard to read the labels. She didn’t get a second look to reconsider. It needs a key, or perhaps a new lock, but no matter what it’s called, unheard of for similar examples in price.
