What is the oldest piece of furniture you own?

Thank goodness they made 60 year old desks to last or our schools would really be in trouble. A “new” desk would be lucky to last 10 years.

I am sitting on a 1950s US Navy rolling office chair typing on a 1930s desk, both of which I found at yard sales.

I have an 1880s bedroom set in storage, passed down through the family. And a [probably] 1850s wall clock which I plan to repair when the budget allows.

It’s not the oldest piece of furniture I own, I’m not even sure how old it is, maybe 57 or so years old, but it’s my family’s dining room table. My parents had an apartment when they were first married and they bought the table and chairs from a couple that was moving on and moving up, buying their first house. My brother was two and my mother was 6 months pregnant with me when they bought the house I grew up in and that I live in now. They moved here along with that table and never got another one. They were kind of frugal people. The table’s not much and the chairs are all gone, they had to get new ones after about 15 years, but we had family dinners there pretty much every night for 18 years and my parents ate there together after my brother and I left home and they never got a new one. My parents are both gone and I live in the house now but I still have that table and it’s still holding up pretty darn well and I see no reason to get another one either. It’s still not much but it’s solid as ever. I kind of sand it down a little every once in a while and put a little stain on and polish it but that’s about it.

I have an old dresser that belonged to my paternal grandmother. It must be 80 years old, at least. I also have a claw foot dining room table that belonged to my maternal grandmother. It’s sitting in our dining area. I believe the table is at least 80 years old also.

It’s funny you asked this today. I spent the day rearranging furniture between my daughter’s room and my bedroom. My daughter loves my dresser because it has a large mirror attached to it. Her room is very small and her furniture takes up too much room and leaves no room to play. I moved her two dressers to my room and gave her mine, reluctantly (I love having the old antique look in my bedroom). I’ll take a pic of it tomorrow and post it if you are interested.

Oldest is probably a very large two-part cabinet, made of some sort of dark wood. I haven’t a clue as to how old it is exactly, all I know is that it was my uncle Dave’s who is (79), and that it’s definitely older than I am (21).

Most likely it’s a mahogany table that belonged to my grandparents some long while before I was born. It might have been new about 100 years ago.

We have an enormous roll-top desk, made in the late 1890’s by my husband’s great grandfather, out of one cherry tree from his farm. It has a glass-doored shelved cabinet that sits on top of it. In the roll top part are many compartments. There’s a secret compartment in the side. Great grandfather must have run out of cherry wood, because the inside of some of the drawers are made of orange crate wood. Know anyone who might like to buy it?

My mom has a large wooden trunk that is in our house being used as a table and a storage chest for decorations and it’s been in her family for over a century. The trunk is originally from Russia and it is from the 1830s. It has Russian writing on the inside and a date and a few names; it’s really interesting.

My husband has a display cabinet that belonged to his mother which came over with the first fleet (1780s-1850s). It is very simple in design and we keep all our good glassware in it. I like it because he loves it and I think it has sentimental value for him because of its connection to his mother. I also like the colour of the wood (no idea what type of timber it is).

I also own an antique desk (early 1900s) and an antique meat safe (late 1800s). I bought both these pieces so I like them. I like to blend modern decor with old pieces of furniture.

A shaker china hutch and dinning table/chairs set given to our family from a friend who got it from a childhood teacher, it’s early 1800’s.

I have a shiny black leather sofa chair that was made in the 1950s. It’s still in good condition——no rips, tears, etc. Nice, good quality leather and workmanship. And it matches my shiny black leather dress shoes too. When I lounge in it to read a book, I sort of become “camoflaged”. Hehe.

Kind of looks like this chair—-

http://maxwellshousedc.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/clubchair.jpg

Very cool mid-century modern there, @MRSHINYSHOES

I like it because it’s a soft kind of leather. In those days, they seemed to make things so much more durable. That, and because it’s got a “Mad Men” quality to it.

I picked up a “Morris” chair at an antique barn years ago. I have no idea how old it is but it’s made of oak.

A 150 year old beveled mirror from the old country that is in mint condition and just beautiful.

Well, we’ve got a singer sewing machine from, I believe the mid 1860’s or 70’s (it still works by the way) and an old pair of asian hardwood nesting trunks with a a bit decorative carving that were known to be used by my wife’s great grandfather which he or his father might have made depending on who in the family you talk to. We’ve also got a couple hand made jewelry boxes my grandfather made (1920’s or 30’s I think). All of that was handed down.

We’re glad to have all of it, I doubt most of it is worth much in terms of dollars, but the history each piece has makes them unique.

I have a sideboard cabinet that my grandfather made out of cherry wood from his orchard over 80 years ago.

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