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Wicker Buggy Suited A Baby In The 1940s

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By JAY MOORE, Tribune correspondent

Published: February 2, 2008

Among a few antiques I have collected over the years is a wicker baby buggy. The frame is made of metal, and the body and hood are made of wicker. It is not marked.

A.B.
Wesley Chapel
Your baby buggy was manufactured about 1940. Without a label or mark, I can't tell you who made it. I have encountered similar ones labeled by JC Penney, Sears Roebuck and other large retailers.

The basic definition of wicker is bent twig, but the term is applied to many things made of woven material such as willow, especially furniture. Most of the antique wicker we see today was manufactured.

It would retail for about $100. They really are not safe for transporting children, so most collectors use them for display.

I am wondering if you can tell me about my pair of chests. I bought them about 13 years ago in New Jersey, but I have lost the original receipt and description.

They are in good condition. What are they worth today?

J.P.

Tampa

These Hepplewhite-style chests, based on late 18th century furniture, were manufactured during the mid- to late 1930s.

The chests are made of plywood, solids and veneer (mostly composed of Honduran mahogany).

I cannot identify the maker without a label. Hundreds of factories churned out similar furniture, many located in Grand Rapids, Mich.

The chests may have been part of a bedroom suite that included a bed(s) and other pieces. The pair of chests would retail for about $250.

Have a question about antiques? E-mail a complete description with a clear digital image (.jpg file) to athome@

tampatrib.com. Include a name, address and daytime phone number. Regular mail can be sent with clear photographs (plain-paper prints or Polaroids may not be used). Send to Jay Moore, At Home, The Tampa Tribune, P.O. Box 191, Tampa FL 33601. Sorry, no pers

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