The Rural Voice, 1985-09, Page 82Don't go through Blyth without
stopping at Yvonne's for
Homemade
Hamburgers
• Milkshakes •
• Ice Cream Cones •
• Take -Out Dinners •
(Also tables inside)
Hours: 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Mon. to Fri.
8:00 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
on Sat.
11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
on Sun.
Yvonne's Take -Out
At the Sunoco Station,
in the centre of Blyth,
east side of Highway 4.
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80 THE RURAL VOICE
RURAL HERITAGE
A Pedigree for Furniture
Last month's column gave ex-
amples of how to write down first-
hand or second-hand information
about keepsakes, treasures, and anti-
ques. All accounts begin with a
physical description of the object at
hand. What follows is a full specimen
pedigree that accompanies a suite of
furniture. (Real names not included.)
Example of full pedigree
Object: Dining -room suite consisting
of table, five chairs, one arm chair, a
buffet, and china cabinet. It is made
entirely of walnut including veneer on
table top and panels of walnut on
buffet and china cabinet. All pieces
have dark walnut stain and varnish
finish. Measurements in inches: table
42 x 56 and 30 high with 3 extension
boards 12 wide; 5 chairs, seats 18 x 14
and backs 38 high, seats 31 above
floor; arm chair seat 20 x 16 and
other measures as above; buffet 60
long, 22 deep and 39 high; china
cabinet 45 wide, 66 high and 14 deep.
All chairs have heavy grained leather
seats. Photos of each piece on an ac-
companying sheet.
Maker: A paper sticker adhering to
inside of the china cabinet reads
"McLagan Furniture Co. Ltd.,
Stratford, Ontario." Beneath the
table is a stencilled figure reading
"690A."
Style: Photocopy included of page 63
of illustrated booklet 11" x 15" en-
titled "New Styles for 1926,
McLagan Furniture Co. Ltd.,
Stratford, Ontario." The style is
described as Tudor Revival, model
690A. Original booklet seen at
University of Western Ontario.
Date: Attached to an accompanying
sheet is a sales slip from Robertson
Furniture, Seaforth, Ont., made to
John Smith ... 1 McLagan dining -
room suite $375.00. Paid Aug. 28,
1926.
Proof of Ownership: Signed
testimonial of John and Alberta
Smith (follows). Also sale receipt for
Arthur Folger of auction sale for
John Smith by Robert Holt, auc-
tioneer, Seaforth, dated Sept. 29,
1973. Price paid $175.00 (No pedigree
was with suite at sale.) See sheet at-
tached with photocopy of sale ad in
Huron Expositor Sept. 18, 1973.
Condition Report: Made 30
September 1973 by Arthur Folger.
Table: Original varnish has scratches
and wear marks. No chips in veneer.
Top has some faint round white
marks. Extension boards have much
less worn mirrored varnished surface.
Turned table legs show abrasions on
protruding parts. Stretchers have
worn varnish on top edges. Table at-
tached by wing nuts to two triangular
3 -legged units beneath.
Chairs: Scratched varnish on backs
and protruding parts of front legs.
Leather on seats in good condition.
One chair shows evidence of re -glued
legs. Buffet: Few marks but varnish is
checked a bit on top surface near
back. China Cabinet: Very good con-
dition generally.
Reconditioning Report March 10,
1975 by Arthur Folger.
"I spent the winter restoring the
McLagan suite. I do not believe in
stripping off original finish and
prefer to refurbish it where needed.
Battlemarks are part of the history of
furniture. The finish proved to be
stained wood with oil-based varnish
with a final coat of stained varnish to
add richness to the glaze. Some soft
furniture oil eliminated the circular
white marks on the table top. The
scrapes and abrasions were filled,
sanded lightly, and stained and
touched up with clear varnish. All the
original varnish was washed with
turpentine and rubbed with sheep's
wool. Over this I added a new light
finish of oil-based varnish with a
spray gun to restore the mirror sur-
face it once had as best I could. The
glue joints are still secure in all pieces.
Someone told me that the dowels in
that factory were soaked in animal
glue overnight before use. The recon-
ditioned suite looks very grand in our
house at 24 Maple Lane, London,
Ont. We purchased it at a time when
it was still not much in demand. You
need a big dining -room to do it
justice." (Signed) Arthur Folger.
Report of Interview with John Smith
May 4, 1976 by Arthur Folger.
"We bought the dining -room set
just before we were married along
with a McLagan bedroom set and a
chesterfield table too. We got some
parlour chairs the same day and it
was delivered to our place at Lot 16