Hi there. After fruitlessly scouring the internet I figured I'd post here and hope someone could provide some insight about a sideboard I recently picked up. Pictures are attached for reference.
The right drawer panel is faux, and slides right to reveal a longer storage area (half the unit, right side). The unit is large, with dimensions of 86.75" L x 17.5" D x 30.5" H. The mark photo comes from inside the drawer section. I have no reason to doubt the mark given the appearance/wear, the fact that I've been able to find matching examples of the mark from RHF online, and the context (unit has definite grandma smell, comes from a reputable seller, clearly seems to have been someone's home locally for 50+ years).
What has me baffled is that I can find NO example of this style of RHF sideboard. All the RHF sideboards I've found typically have sweeping but centrally mounted handles and are narrower, with one set of drawers either offset or centrally positioned). The handles on the sliding doors are very distinct in the use of mated triangles extending across two sides of the panels.
Anyway, I like to know the history of the stuff I buy and own, if only for my own edification, so if anyone knows anything about this unit or RHF more generally (there is literally nothing about RHF online other than a modern US mattress and furniture maker) I'd appreciate it.
Thanks,
Rick
Sometimes you have to be very patient when you're asking about something more obscure and not so coveted. Sometimes the answer will come months or even years later. Have you tried asking UK dealers who sell mid-century modern furniture? Some dealers are chatty types who like to talk about things like this; others are not so willing to put a little time into something that is not going to net them a sale that day. But it's always worth a try.
What's going on with the finish on that sideboard, by the way? It looks very uneven. Is is something that can easily be fixed with steel wool and oil?
Sure, couple comments:
1) I dont live in the UK, so "popping in" and chatting with a UK MCM credenza dealer is, how you say, not really practical. Hence my post here... 🙂
2) Point taken on the ID and patience, but I figured someone might have more general information about RHF since they seem like a "known" period maker in the UK. Just having intelligence on the company would be useful.
3) The finish isn't perfect, but the picture issues are just bad light. It's much lighter and more even in person. The biggest issue is a poor and old after purchase poly job, indicated by telltale bad cutting on the top of the back (drip downs from the poly on the top, which the applier clearly didn't pay attention to). However, I can take all that off and refinish it pretty easily (weekend), so not really worried about it.
Thanks,
Rick
1) that's what email is for! You might get lucky and get someone who's willing to chat a bit.
2) There are some people here who might know more about it but the group of people who participate on daily basis is pretty small in comparison to the total traffic. There are lots of others who post occasionally and some who are silent for weeks or even months at a time. Then there are people whose first post is a response to something they stumbled across and happened to know---about as random as you can get. You just never know and the lack of an answer in the first couple of days doesn't really indicate that you'll never get an answer.
3) Good luck stripping the poly! Hope you can get it all off with minimal effort. I loathe that job.
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