I did have things in it, I took them out to rearrange. I realized a center shelf cleat was missing and made a new one. While the china was out, I thought this would be a good time to shoot it and to ask about the shelves. I didnÂt know that the inside was normally unfinished. I wonder why that was? (Is it because it IS a bookcase not actually a china cabinet? The store said it was when I bought it. But to me it was ideal as a china cabinet as it has more shelves than most.) And when did manufacturers start finishing insides? My c.1908 oak breakfront and c. 1930Âs walnut cabinet are finished inside. But I have no idea how old the one I just posted is. (GoshÂjust realized I have 3 china cabinetsÂall filled)

Looks very nice....hard to really tell what it's going to look like....the legs and the bow front look a little Sharaton-ish. It looks like mahogany...I think unless I am seeing lots of traces of old finish. Doesn't look to have any veneer....which puzzles me a bit. The picture of the brasses is blurry...but they look to be cast. Did you save the glass? was it old? It's nice....finish it and put it back to together and show us again. Linda C

Linda's first link was just making your photo a clickable link for everyone else, so we don't have to cut and paste. It is a lovely exemplar of its type, and a nice compact little piece, but it's a kind of tacky style that has never appealed to me either. Kind of Versailles. They're also making reproductions of this stuff now, so if you can ascertain that it has real age, you probably wouldn't have any trouble getting a dealer interested - or selling it privately. KarinL

You sell "wholesale", unless you are lucky enough to find a collector who is looking for that very piece....and you b uy retail, after a shop owner has taken their mark up. There are 2 types of appraisals for antiques...one is an estate appraisal for a quick sale, and the other is a replacement appraisal, what it would cost to go out and buy that thing tomorrow. I had a long time dispute with my insurance carrier, about appraising my sterling silver. They wanted me to pay the premium on the cost of replacing it at a jewelry store, and I knew I could replace it for less than half that at other places.AND....they wanted me to pay a "certified appraiser" to figure out the price!! I won!