Antique (Maybe) Piano Stool

[TrailRat]

I have in my possesion a piano stool in need of repair. A leg has snapped off. In my opinion it can be repaired and I'll shall endevour to do so.

What I'm in need of is the age of the stool. This is just curiousity because there is multiple damaged sections that strip its of value. The owner of the stool likes it so she wants it repaired. I was wondering as to how old it was.

The best description I can give is its a one height (non adjustable) stool. It has a hinged lid and on the strecther joining the legs it has a conch shell. This is a badge of sorts inlayed into the wood.

I'll see if I can get any pictures up for you.

Nick

[TrailRat]

[TrailRat]

is those pictures.

Nick

[Andy Dingley]

My guess is around 1900.

Those cabriole legs were made on a bandsaw, not with a drawknife. Look at the flat perpendicular sides and the lack of rounding to the outer edge.

Those veneered ovals have been factory made for centuries. Especially when placed on their own, not surrounded by all manner of extra stringing and inlay, they were a cheap way to add a bit of "class" to an otherwise undecorated piece.

You can probably restore the leg by adding a dowel stub tenon to replace the one that broke (probably a tenon, maybe even a round dowel ?). However a much better design of cabriole leg has glue blocks either side, faired into the leg design - these are obviously stronger. You may consider it wise to add such a block, where possible. You might even add blocks to each leg. It would depend on how big the frame is, and how much space you have to hide the blocks - obviously you don't want them flush with the show-wood where you'd have to blend them into the visible design.