Early American looking Conant-Ball wall shelf?
I previously had the following shelf in a garage sale for $25. Had one man look at it and tried to talk me down to $10. I declined the sale. So I recently listed on CL for $35.
I had a buyer who has so far not shown up to collect the item. As I was cleaning the shelf for him, I noticed a wood burned stamp on the bottom of the drawer. This shelf came out of a great aunts basement about 25 years ago. I had it hanging in a bathroom for 4 years, and then it's been in storage ever since. It's a bit country looking for my taste. I had assumed that one of my husbands relatives had made the shelf. It's old looking, the wood looks ripped, and to my eyes, the shelf appears to be hand made.
So I looked up the furniture stamp and found many pieces from a company called Conant-Ball out of Massachusetts. I could only find one photo with a stamp like mine (just the initials, and not circled with the company name.) From what I read, the initials only stamp indicate that the piece was built before 1909. I have searched and searched and can find nothing else on the initial stamp, or find a single wall shelf made by CB.
Is anyone familiar with Conant-Ball? I know that there were some MCM pieces made in the 60's designed and signed by someone named Howard Wright that could have some value. My piece is not MCM, and I doubt it has anymore value than what I have listed it for on CL. However, I want to make sure before I let it go.
Lots of photos...sorry! Shelf is approx. 24" x 30" and in great condition.
The draw screws may not be original
Only the drawer unit has nails in the sides.
Random photos of the wood
Comments (6)
5 years ago
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maifleur03 - I know, right! That's why I had assumed all these years that it was made by a family member.
Fori - That would sound reasonable if it were not for the fact that from what I read in this LINK (quoted below) the piece was made before the depression era.
"Along the way, my research revealed a bit of the company’s history, which I will summarize here from the internet. Ancestors of the company go back to 1852 under various names, including “Jackson and Greenwood” (1852), “A. White & Company” (1857), and “Conant Brothers & Company” (1866). The company began manufacturing high-quality furniture in Gardner, MA, west of Boston, specializing in Colonial furniture reproductions. The first products of the founders of the Conant Ball Company were cane seat chairs. Later on they made bedroom and dining room chairs of mahogany, cherry, and walnut."
"In 1868 a branch was added in Boston. In 1875 the firm name was changed to “Conant, Ball & Company”. In 1909 a Massachusetts corporation was formed, under the name of the “Conant Ball Company”. "
"Anything labeled with the round logo “C-B” is probably no older than 1909. "
"I do not know if the incised oval brand “Famous Reproductions of Old New England Furniture” was included on earlier pieces. In 1929, a branch of the Gardner factory opened in Templeton, MA.
In the 1930s the company went into more modern lines, almost entirely of “rock solid maple”, in collaboration with the celebrated designer Russell Wright, who began to design ‘Art Deco’ and ‘American Modern’ furniture for them. There is an ebay forum on this mid 20th century line of furniture. Conant Ball closed their doors around 1980"
Here are two different photos of furniture with the stamp/brands like mine...the only ones that I can find online. The bottom photo also shows a paper label and what that person believes about her stamped and labeled piece.
"The stamp and Label appear to be from a company named Conant ball, from the Boston area. Some of their furniture was designed by Russel Wright, and can have some value to it. I believe the paper label is from around 1909 or earlier."
- 5 years ago
- 5 years ago
Fori