The other day I spied an interesting looking old dresser out in the hard rubbish. It had been painted a hideous brown, and the top was covered in tacky ancient wood-patterned vinyl, but something about it caught my eye. I drove down one night to see if I could dismantle it and put it into the car, but it had been gruesomely nailed in a previous bodgy repair. However I noticed that it was well made, with dovetails on the backs of the drawers, and of sturdy hardwood construction. I noticed a maker's mark in one drawer.
Next morning I returned with some shovels and picks and implements of destruction, and proceeded to remove the mirror stand (mirror is absent) so that it fit in the car.
This weekend I got it into the shed, and started to strip off the vinyl, and then the paint & manky varnish. Reb and I spent a few hours at it today, and it is starting to look quite lovely. Then I googled the maker's name again, and found to my surprise that Tock & Co were owned by a Chinese immigrant who left Australia for Hong Kong in 1920 - so this piece must be the better part of 100 years old!
Next morning I returned with some shovels and picks and implements of destruction, and proceeded to remove the mirror stand (mirror is absent) so that it fit in the car.
This weekend I got it into the shed, and started to strip off the vinyl, and then the paint & manky varnish. Reb and I spent a few hours at it today, and it is starting to look quite lovely. Then I googled the maker's name again, and found to my surprise that Tock & Co were owned by a Chinese immigrant who left Australia for Hong Kong in 1920 - so this piece must be the better part of 100 years old!
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