I’ve been hunting for a good desk for The Niece – she’d mentioned before the Christmas holidays that she’d like one for her room.
Since I’m not afraid of a little painting, I figured I could score a nice desk on Craigslist and fix it up.
I found a desk that had great potential – good lines, no significant (obvious) damage and in need of a little TLC. Even better, the seller wanted to get rid of it, so she was willing to sell it for just $65. Just the deal I wanted.
The Boy drove our classic pickup, Old Glory, to help me collect it. When we picked it up, we knew straight away that this baby was solid wood.That’s a VERY good sign that we had gotten an excellent deal.Once we got it home, I dug through the desk to check it out and found a little gold medallion inside the center drawer. It said:Huntley (Simmons) FurnitureThat little clue was enough to send me on a history treasure hunt via Google. While we don’t have an actual value, we do know a little more about our new desk:
The B.F. Huntley Furniture Co. opened in 1906 in Winston-Salem, N.C. It had been organized as the Oakland Furniture Co. in 1898. Huntley specialized in bedroom and dining-room furniture. In 1929 it was purchased by the Simmons Co., then based in Kenosha, Wisconsin, known for Simmons mattresses. Huntley furniture with a Simmons label was made between 1929 and 1935, because Huntley went back to its original owners in 1935. Fire destroyed the Huntley plant on Valentine’s Day in 1956, but the factory was rebuilt. The Huntley name continued until the company was sold to Thomasville Furniture Industries in 1961. The value of pieces depends on design and condition.
Pretty good deal for $65, huh? I’m very excited. Excited enough that this desk isn’t going to The Niece – it’s going in our library.Just wait until we strip off the layers of worn-out white and repaint! By the way, I’m not looking to restore this desk – sometimes antique pieces are more fun when they are updated, rather than restored. More details to follow when the project’s finished!You can bet I’m not starting on it before the temperatures get significantly warmer and the Hayley House has running water again!
Nice buy! I'd say you did get a bargain. Good luck if you strip the paint from it … your grandfather stripped and revarnished a piano one time…it's a JOB. Well, it was back when he did it, long before you were born. There's probably more simple methods now.