New York Harvest
19th Century Empire New York Harvest Table
<SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1217819682_3>New York Empire Walnut
Harvest</SPAN> Table<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>What started out to be a trip to make an
offer on the house turned out to be another rare find. We found an <SPAN
class=yshortcuts id=lw_1217819682_4>old house for sale</SPAN> in an online
newspaper. It was for sale by owner. When we arrived to meet the seller and
look inside the house, the seller explained to us that the house belonged to
her sister who died several months ago. Her sister did not throw away
anything. So since it was too much work for her, she explained that if we were
to purchase the house, we could have most of the contents in house as well. I
looked around up stairs and down stairs. Nothing so far. Then I walked down
to the basement. There it was at the very back of basement covered in debris
and filth with one leaf missing, a New York Empire Walnut Harvest Table. So I
went back up stairs and told the seller that we would contact her later.
We were very interested in buying the house as long as we could get it for a
bargain. I contacted the seller the next day with our offer on the house. She
declined. A week passed by and I contacted her again, this time to inquire
about purchasing items inside the house. I went with the the intentions of
purchasing a mattress. We looked around and saw a nice piece of Antique
furniture but it was not Period. We made an offer, but the seller said that she
would take no less than $150 for the piece. We bought the mattress and left the
piece. Three months later, it was time, and I called the seller again about
purchasing the table and a lamp from the basement. She said immediately
that there was no table and lamp in the basement but I could still come to see
if I could find it. As soon as I arrived we greeted the seller and headed
toward the basement. There it was again in the same place, untouched. I told
my wife to tell the seller to come to the basement and that I found the table.
She mentioned that she did not want to come down there because her allergies
were bad. She finally came down the stairs and was surprised to see the table.
I offered $20 for the table. She she mentioned that she needed me to take
it out from the garbage that it was sitting in before she could give an answer
since she needed to see the whole thing. I told her $20 take it leave it. She
accepted the offer. I proceeded to remove the garbage on top and move the
table. The table itself was covered in <SPAN class=yshortcuts
id=lw_1217819682_5>mold spores</SPAN>. What a mess, and all four legs were
eaten away by mold, reducing the 5 table legs by 2 inches. <BR> <BR>After
the hard work of moving the table out of the cluttered house, I finally got the
table home. The first thing I did was strip it. The table itself was covered
with green paint. The paint was removed completely leaving a beautiful walnut
finish. It is still work in progress, but most of the hard work is done. When
the table is completely restored, its value would have increased to
$1500-$2000. Not bad for $20. <BR><BR>
