Exploring the Forgotten Life

Little known fact about me: one of my hobbies is furniture restoration. I like to find out everything I can about the piece, where it is from, where it lived and what I'd like to look like now. Sometimes the history of a piece is more exciting and valuable than the piece itself.

This weekend we happened upon a tag and oddities sale. I love these things! We've decided that for the decor of the house we are doing a mix of vintage and modern so these types of sales are perfect for us. Ikea never looked so good until you stick it next to a Victorian piece. We really didn't know what to expect going in but we liked it so much we are going back tomorrow! Of course this is mainly because we couldn't fit the Settee we bought in the back of the Escape.

Car Jenga!

So after many configurations later, we were able to fit a desk and 2 chairs into the back of the Escape!

Here were the finds:

Coming soon: the Settee

Honestly the desk was an after thought, I put in an offer on the 3 piece parlor set and the desk that was absurdly low and I never expected them to accept it.

I'm fairly certain the chairs and settee are federal style but I don't have much experience with that period so I'll have to do more research.

I honestly didn't think the desk was that great. Amongst the other items at the sale it looked like a reproduction piece but what the hay, it was cheap!

Either a reproduction or someone tried to varnish it and did a horrid job.

Behold! A desk!

I finally got a chance to look at the back and was quite surprised to see a manufacturing stamp!

The Flint Bruce Co. was a furniture company in Hartford from 1891 to 1950. This will help date the piece some.

Oh wait a minute....

Now this is interesting. Between the top panel and the interior panel are some papers!

I grab my "expert tools" (in this case a post it note and a pen) and went to work getting the papers outs.

OMG I AM SO EXCITED!!

1920???? I wonder when this last saw the light of day! At least now I know the desk isn't a reproduction!

But wait there is more!

I will have to say this made me tear up a bit. Not only do I have a wedding invitation for the daughter's wedding but also a hand written letter to the mother from daughter, expressing her love. There is also a birthday card to the mother.

I wonder why these were hidden in the top of the desk? What happened to these people? These were obviously significant enough to hold on to and here they are today, 90 years later, the last remaining relics of a person's life.

I hope they had a happy life.