These pieces of furniture have been in the family for many generations. They lived in Pennsylvania since before the Revolutionary War. The mirror is 47 inches high. The game table is 41 inches wide by 29 inches high. The table is 34½ inches wide by 30 inches high. What can you tell me about them and what they are worth? – S.H.


Congratulations on having such wonderful American antiques. The mirror is in wonderful condition for one so old. It appears to have the original gold leaf finish and the glass looks like it is original, too.

This style of mirror is from the Empire period and is in the classical style. It was made in the first quarter of the 19th century. It is American and would have been in one of the fine homes with high ceilings being built at that time.

The fruit-and-flower motif on the mirror’s crest was a popular one in that time period. You often see similar motifs as furniture inlay or carved onto the front of game tables. I recently had a clock from this same period with a gilded basket of fruit finial.

Having the original gilt finish adds a lot to this mirror’s value. Sometimes the gilding would get dull and dirty looking on old mirrors and frames and instead of cleaning them, people would paint over the original finish, ruining it. Your mirror’s value is about $1,500.

The small table is an 18th century lowboy. Used in the bedroom along with its companion piece, a highboy, lowboys were used as a dressing table. Now, since they have become so collectible and expensive, lowboys are usually placed in the living room or entrance hall.

It is a wonderful example of a Chester County piece of furniture. Chester County, Pa., provided the young American nation with clocks, redware and fine furniture. Domestic items like quilts, frakturs, metalware and samplers from the Delaware Valley are highly prized by today’s collectors.

It is rare for the matching highboy and lowboy from the 18th century to have stayed together through the past 200 years. As families divided up estates, these two pieces often went their separate ways. When matching pieces do come up for sale, they bring high prices.

A highboy is a two-part chest on legs. The top will be flat or arched, usually with small drawers over three long drawers. The top will sit on a base that has a long drawer over small drawers. A highboy is always on legs. Sometimes a family will split the top from the base. Then a cabinetmaker will put legs on the top section and a new top on the bottom section, creating two pieces of furniture. Not only does this ruin the original piece of furniture, it creates two awkward looking hybrids that are out of proportion. I have looked at a lot of lowboys that were actually the altered base of a highboy.

Your genuine Pennsylvania lowboy can be valued at $10,000 to $12,000.

Your game table is a nice Pennsylvania table with a hinged lift top, which lifts up and folds back to make a round table. The back leg swings out and supports the folded back leaf. It is from the Federal period and was made around 1790. The serpentine shape makes it more valuable than a straight or bow-front table.

Game tables or card tables were practical and popular and many were made. When not in use, the table was pushed against the wall. Once in a while I see a similar table without the extra leaf. This type of D-shaped table is usually a section of a dining room table. Before pedestal base dining tables, large dining tables were made up of a drop leaf table and two D-end tables, making a large table. When not in use, all the tables would be put against the wall to make room for dancing or entertainment.

The value of your game table is $2,500 to $3,000.

Julie McClure has 30 years of experience in the appraisal business and is a member of the Appraisers Association of America. Her company, Appraisals and Sales by Julie McClure, Inc., is based in Bradenton (wwwappraisals4u.biz). Send queries and photographs via e-mail or regular mail to About Antiques, The Herald, 102 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton, FL 34205-8810. Please include the measurements of a piece and a phone number. Also, computer printouts of images do not reproduce, so please e-mail images. Photographs will only be returned in a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

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