Look closely when you get there, some of these style pieces were made in the 70s and have laminate tops. Maybe you don't mind laminate, but just so you know to look for it. Otherwise, if it's solidly built, drawers work well, and you like the french look, I'd say go for it.

I had a desk with similar style/shape. It was really easy to redo and turned out nice, my only disappointment was the handles. I had planned on replacing completely however they turned out to be an odd size and I could not find reasonably priced new ones so I ended up just painting them.

Back to your question :)
If it doesn't stink,
If it is the size you are looking for,
If it is in good shape and really is solid wood...

Then why not buy it if you are going to redo it anyway?

It would look lovely with fresh coat of paint and some lovely toile print drawer liners.

I think it's a "leaverite"...as leave 'er right there.
That type of finish rarely covers anything but particle board;.

I asked him specifically if the top was laminate,and he said no, but truthfully I don't know if he'd recognize laminate or not. It belonged to his sister who passed away recently. ahem. but I do like the dresser.
On my computer screen it appears to be a gold color with gold accents on the edges. Could that be?
I can't wait to see it tomorrow.

Do the tables match, as in a set? If so, does it seem unlikely that they'd make marble top tables to match a laminate top piece? Will be interesting to see what you find out and think when you see it.

There wasn't any photos of the end tables that I could see so I don't know if they match or not. The guy who answered the phone was kind of a grump so I hated to ask too many questions. Either way I"m more interested in the dresser anyway, but if the end tables are nice, I'll pick them up too. I'm taking my sons with me not only for the muscle, but also because this guy lives so far away.

how do i find out if it's particle board or it's got a laminate top to it?

A lot of these had laminate tops but not all. Some companies offered it as an option. The laminate matched the painted finish pretty well, so he may not know if it is or not. I don't think that a particle board top covered with laminate should be an automatic disqualifier especially for $50 for in a bedroom. A lot of this 40-50 year old furniture that was not expensive at the time is still built better than more expensive new furniture that is all wood but has a sprayed on finish that is about one micron think.

To give you a comparison price-wise, although this is a full set; it appears to be the style of yours at what would be a much higher price is this set was sold individually.

If you Google 're-painted french provincial dresser' and lot at Images, you'll get lots of ideas on re-painting it!

Here is a link that might be useful: White French provincial style bedroom set - $950

Funny I just happened to notice in the thread linked below, a side table that matches the set you are looking at. Its in the second photo down. Maybe movinginva can tell you what hers is made of.

My aunt had that set in the 70's and she always bought the best. I can't imagine she'd have particle board. If you can ask them if the drawers are dove-tailed, I know that's a good sign it was built right. Usually means it's wood...

Here is a link that might be useful: Link to movinginva's thread

If these pieces had wood tops, they were wood. If the top had laminate the substrate was particle board, just like it is for laminate kitchen counters--it's more stable. There was a different attitude toward laminate. Now everyone thinks it's such a horrible "cheap" thing. In the 1950s through the 1970s, some of "the best" furniture manufacturers: Hendredon, Baker, Dunbar, Widdicomb etc. all had pieces where laminate tops were an option. It was considered a very forward thinking material. The reason so much of this furniture survived in good condition is Not because it was crap.

I have seen many identical pieces on my CL, and although cute, I really don't think it's paintable unless you want to put a lot of work into it. My oldest DD, who will be 50 in Oct. had the complete set when she was 8 or 9. We bought it at Sears and it was completely laminate.

I have also seen dressers/nightstands in cherry, but the tops are usually veneer. ;o)

I had no issues painting mine with chalk paint and it was cheap laminate. Probably the imitation of the imitation of laminate.

I have seen many identical pieces on my CL, and although cute, I really don't think it's paintable unless you want to put a lot of work into it. My oldest DD, who will be 50 in Oct. had the complete set when she was 8 or 9. We bought it at Sears and it was completely laminate.

I have also seen dressers/nightstands in cherry, but the tops are usually veneer. ;o)

I say YES! They look gorgeous when painted. You can have so much fun with it.

I do not know a ton about furniture, but it looks like that top is wood - the laminate is usually white and that top looks like the rest of the dresser. I love that style, and I keep buying pieces even when they sometimes don't go with the look that I am going for then I turn around and have to sell them. I generally don't paint them because I feel bad about doing that.

I have painted two dressers - one had the laminate top which I painted over (after sanding a bit) and the other had a wood top. I found them both very easy to paint, and they have held up very well. On the ones I have seen and have, as far as I can tell there is particleboard underneath the laminate only (I double checked - the wood top one is all wood).

I have seen the all particle board ones - I had a piece and hated it so I finally got rid of it.Those seem to have a slightly different style than the wooden ones and the color is different (at least on the ones I have seen) - more of an off white, and the legs are slightly different.

I do agree with the fact that it is difficult to find handles for some of them, but you can always use spray paint or fill the holes and make new ones.

Hope that helps!

Below are my painted dressers. Excuse the overflowing laundry basket.

We bought one piece at my neighbor's garage sale for $25.00 for my DD's bedroom with the intention of painting it but never got around to it. She took it to college and has since moved it 2 or 3 times into various apartments. It's all wood and has held up much better than I expected - especially the move when it slid off the back of the dolly.

I bought the dresser and mirror that you see in the first post. I also bought the smaller dresser with mirror that I can show because it's shoved into the garage. I bought both marble topped nightstands. they both have some sort of wire front. It looks like chicken wire but it's heavier and it's supposed to be there. I got a swivel stool? seat? I don't know what it is or what it used for. It swivels very well though..LOL.. and I bought an oval table with some kind of metal decorative trim on it. That too has a marble top but I left it off because I couldn't pick it up its so heavy. Has anyone ever seen a table with the metal decoration before? I don't know what I'll do it but I like it.
Any suggestions on what I can do with the whole set?

oh, the (60+ish grump who sold it to me said the set came from the Barclay Hotel in NYC when his dad worked there. I also found a very yellowed sticker on the bottom that said Barclay hotel. ON the underside of the drawers it said Drexel and NC. It's old, it's heavy and it's solidly built, but it's filthy.. I haven't washed it yet.

Here is a link that might be useful: the stuff

Thanks Ogoopogo, aside from washing it down and scraping off all the little pieces of chewing gum stuck underneath the tables.. What do you think i should do with it? Paint or stain.

I think you did great! I like the metal mesh. I vote paint.

Wow! Drexel! Great buy!

It will be gorgeous painted and I love the mesh too!

Wow, you did really well. if you go to this post that I am linking and scroll down to about the 6th entry, you willsee what JaninWisconsin did with night tables very much like yours.
They are beautiful.

Here is a link that might be useful: Click Here

I checked out that link, and I'm in love with the old ochre color. :) I'm looking for a dealer of AS paint on Staten Island but I can't seem to find one. I may have to order online.

oh.. that swivel thing that I thought was a foot stool is in fact a MID CENTURY ROUND SWIVEL VANITY STOOL BY HENREDON #1604 and it sold for $100. on some antique site. LOL. If that buyer only knew.