Replies

1. 
   JohnWW | Nov 09, 2004 06:33pm | #1

   Are you sure the joints were glued, many tables were built with corner hardware that allowed them to be knocked down for shipping.  In that case the dowels are only there for alignment, they aren't supposed to be glued. 

   It is unlikely that the joints were intentionally and cleanly disassembled for shipping.  Hide glue can be softened to take apart a joint but it isn't so easy to do that someone would intentionally take apart a table just to ship it, just doesn't sound right to me. 

   I would check with the seller first, to make sure they didn't leave out some hardware, and I'd also look for signs of screw holes and slots that would indicate whether there is hardware missing.

   John W.

1. 
   dumfounder | Nov 09, 2004 09:05pm | #2

   Agreed that it seems unlikely that the seller would have gone to such lengths just to ship it.  And the leg/skirt joints show no signs of a struggle to get them apart.  My current theory is that yes, they should be glued, based on the existence of glue residue which I'm pretty sure I saw last night (I'll double check tonight) and the construction of the joint.  There is no missing hardware or places for hardware to be used - the top which sits on the skirt would be the only thing to positively hold the joint together.  I'm guessing the seller got hold of it from a third party and it happened to already have failed or purposefully deactivated joints, and for that reason he doesn't have complete information.  I'm in the process of following up with him too.  How or why it was disassembled in the first place is likely to remain a mystery.

   thanks for your reply and I will report back when I get some more information.

2. 
   dumfounder | Nov 10, 2004 12:22am | #3

   One other thing - I just heard from the Stickley historian, who informed me that there has never been a 'knockdown' table with unglued joints.  He said hide glue was originally used: clean with warm vinegar, re-glue.   Franklin brand is fine. 

   So there you have it.

1. 
   BenM | Nov 10, 2004 03:58pm | #4

   Are you sure it is a genuine Stickley?  Butted and doweled joints does not seem like something Stickley would make.

1. 
   dumfounder | Nov 17, 2004 11:33pm | #5

   yup.  I was unimpressed too.

1. 
   ripmeister | Dec 17, 2004 05:46pm | #6

   I may be wrong about this but I seem to remember from somewhere that there are actually two Stickleys.  There's Gustav of quartersawn, fumed white oak Craftsman fame and then there were I think cousins or something who were in the furninture buisness as well.  I have a cherry dresser and desk made by the later.  They are well made but not nearly as valuable as Gustavs stuff.