Very Early Primitive Harness Makers Bench

Antiques > Tools Dealer: Antique Haven Contact: Jayme-Ayne Walker Peregrine - Email Dealer
Price: $259.00 USD  - Currency Converter Local Currency: 259.00 Shipping inside United States: Quoted at time of purchase Shipping outside United States: Quoted at time of purchase

Description: Very early 1850-1870's oak & hickory harness makers bench. Fresh from a private 3 generation family estate in NEW ENGLAND. NOT A PRIMITIVE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN LEFT IN A BARN OR SHED! I cannot believe how wonderful this harness makers bench is. You can see the wear on the seat of it from use. It has been left in the as I found it condition, no sanding, no refinish. Just the old mellow aging from time going by. In the good old days I only sold Americana & Early Country Primitives & Antiques. Hard to come by these days. When I do find something great I still (after30 years) get all excited! I am very excited about some recent, freshly aquired primitives and smalls. I will be listing them soon. This falls in that very category. This bench has the old draw knife bevelled corners on all four outside corners of the wonderful spayed legs. It is very interesting in that whoever made it bevelled it three sided on the front, sides, and back of the spayed legs. Only the inside of the legs are a flat surface. It is flat on the center of the legs and draw knife bevelled down both sides of the center. The cross sections supports are also old draw knife bevelled and are six sided and handcarved at the ends where they join the legs. It is hand carved at all the joins. The head clamp has leather (OLD) running from it to the foot piece. It looks as though it might be original but I couldn't say for sure. The footpiece has an old forged iron lag bolt. The clamper is joined at the seat by square wooden pegs and also has a mortice and tenon join. There is old iron hinges and a spring on the clamper. You can see the years of use and wear on the top of the head clamp. It has a beautiful curving to the two clampers. There are very old iron square headed nails in this piece also. The wonderful thing is that this piece has not lost any of it's legs through the years. It is still level and they were not cut in anyway. This harness makers bench would be still usable and is very sturdy. Kids think that it is something to be ridden much to my dismay. I will show you what I can in the 4 pics but if you want more pics just email me and I will gladly send them to you. There isn't enough space in this listing to extoll what a wonderful old harness makers bench this really is. Someone put alot of thought and work into making this bench probably for themselves or someone they knew to work on. They would have used it often for fixing their harnesses and other things on their early farm that they needed to work with everyday. It could still be used today and probably should be in a museum to demonstrate an old (almost) lost art (the Amish still make harnesses). It will probably be here another 100 or so years more. Whether you use it for country decor, use it to make harnesses, or as a plant stand, etc. or even use it today to work on I am sure it will give you years of joy. Just don't write me and tell me your kids or grandchildren ride it! There are no dangerous edges, everything is beautifully rounded to protect even todays children. If you love rare and early pieces check out the childrens sled from the same estate I will be listing soon. I think very possibly they may have been made by the same person. Please inquire for shipping quote, I will need your zip code to calculate. International buyers please inquire for shipping quote.

Status: For Sale	Reference#: 1000HB
Condition: Very, very good! Unbelievable for age.	Year: 1850-1870's
Country: USA
Height: 48 in. (121.92 cm)
Width: 24 in. (60.96 cm)
Title: Very Early Primitive Harness Makers Bench	Style: Primitive
Materials: Oak and Hickory

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