Charles Rohlfs

Q: I got this piece from my landlady in East Aurora, New York, about 40 years ago. I used it as a plant stand and never knew who made it until about 10 years ago when I noticed this maker’s mark of an “R” in a rectangle and the date “1902” underneath. I took it to an antiques shop and they said it was made by Charles Rohlfs. After that I took it to the Antiques Roadshow in Buffalo, where they appraised it at about $1,000. Unfortunately my landlady had painted it. Can it be restored to the original color? What it worth with or without restoration?

A: Charles Rohlfs (1853-1936) was a furniture designer who started out as an actor while also working as a stove pattern maker. In 1886 he was granted a patent for his design for a heating stove. Rohlfs had a workshop in Buffalo beginning in 1898 and became known for his Arts & Crafts style furniture. Most of Rohlfs’ furniture was quarter-sawn oak and your piece, which was made in 1902, was probably not painted. Rohlfs furniture has gone up in price since 2008. At the Antiques Roadshow in Cleveland in 2016, a Rohlfs piece with its original finish but in poor condition was appraised for thousands of dollars. If your piece is all original except for the paint, it’s worth more than $1,000. If professionally restored, it would be worth much more.