The hardware may be tin, but looks to be iron (?) In the photo. I'd make a safe bet that it's victorian/Edwardian. The edwardian era ended in1910. That might help you date it. I became quite educated on hardware while restoring our 1920 house.
Something that my husband mentioned, that I didn't think about: Locking casters were invented in mid-Victorian Ers, so they would have been a new product. They probably wouldn't have been installed on a workbenches, given their high cost. They were very high end.
My husband, who is a true old fart, has seen a couple of very old workbenches with old casters. Some work necessitated moving an entire bench, to complete.
Old Workbench question
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Re: Old Workbench question
The dovetails are definitely hand cut, and the over cuts show it was done without the care required of a commercially offered item - like they were done by someone who doesn't cut dovetails every day. Add in the hand written "Starr Piano" on the bottom of the top instead of a brand, a stamp, or a label, and it appears it was made for use in the plant.
Great find and you will enjoy the tail vice a lot when doing cabinet work.
Ed
Great find and you will enjoy the tail vice a lot when doing cabinet work.
Ed
Ed M
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Re: Old Workbench question
Thanks for the thoughts and help, really fun that its a small part of local history. The next thing will to be how much fixing and/or restoration to do. I certainly want to keep it as original as possible but also want it to be functional for woodworking - will need to do some more exploration which is a little challenging because the dang top weighs a ton!
"Facts seldom sway an opinion." - John Hall
"The difference between theory and practice is that in theory there is no difference." - Van de Snepscheut
"The difference between theory and practice is that in theory there is no difference." - Van de Snepscheut
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Re: Old Workbench question
That is a beautiful workbench, with a little TLC you can fix it up quite nicely!
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Re: Old Workbench question
Wow that bench is a treasure. Nice find.
If you want to use it, just do it. You can plane off the top flat and smooth I would think.
But man, it is so cool you may want to just set it in your shop and admire it. :)
If you want to use it, just do it. You can plane off the top flat and smooth I would think.
But man, it is so cool you may want to just set it in your shop and admire it. :)