With our absolute highest compliments Bay Colony Antiques takes the utmost pleasure in offering this wonderful antique Mission Oak serving table. This server is a rare and well-preserved example made a century ago as the Arts & Crafts movement began to take hold in America. After the iconic designs of pioneering furniture makers such as Gustav Stickley, Charles Limbert, Charles Rohlfs, and others were first introduced to the American public, smaller furniture manufactures began producing affordable Arts & Crafts furniture across the country. This serving table was likely advertised through a paper catalogue and then custom ordered by the original owner along with a suite of dining furniture including a round table and matching set of chairs towards the beginning of the previous century. Gustav Stickley, L&JG Stickley, and Roycroft all offered similar serving tables. While remnants of a paper label are present on the back, only "BU" is legible, which could reference Buffalo, NY, or possibly be a retailer tag from the Buffalo area. Additionally, faint pencil script, likely a model number, can be seen on the back.
The entire server is constructed from a premium grade of white oak lumber with bold tiger oak grain selected for the most visible surfaces. As most collectors desire, the surface is completely original having survived for over a century in excellent condition. We often find these examples refinished which is to be expected after generations of continued use and depending on the quality of the restoration generally does not have a strong influence on the value. That said, passionate collectors of Arts & Crafts design always prefer furniture still retaining the original surface with the market baring out the highest prices for such examples which traditionally appreciate in value as time goes on. This serving table features two drawers, a well-formed gallery backboard, and four traditional straight legs typical of most mission oak furniture design. A couple of unique details that we wanted to point out are the arched metal tensioners on the inside edge of each drawer and the original green felt lining inside the right drawer for silverware. The top is fastened to the case with round eyelet fasteners, the same we typically find on Stickley pieces and other top tier manufacturers during the early 20th century. Overall, the serving table is in excellent condition with our only condition notes being minor surface wear & the absence of the lower shelf. The serving table measures 38” wide x 20” deep x 39” tall at the top of the gallery.
