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Rare Elijah Galusha Bedroom Furniture Photos

DresserElijah GalushaRensselaerHistorical SocietyHistoricalBedroom

Rare Elijah Galusha Bedroom Furniture Photos
Rare Elijah Galusha Bedroom Furniture Photos
Elijah Galusha Bedroom furniture photos are not exactly commonplace and up until I visited the Rensselaer Historical Society in Troy, NY, I had never seen any, period. The following rare photographs are from a labeled dresser taken in 1970. The third image captures construction details and measurements of the piece by the director of an auction house where it was sold. I think the scale of the woman on the left of image two is a bit misleading due to the perspective and vantage point of the photograph. The measurements state that the dresser is approximately 8 feet tall. The last image is a collage of what I feel are key design elements that can aid in identifying Elijah Galusha furniture from the Renaissance Revival period. Realize, however, that this is a sampling from a single piece of furniture, albeit one is better than having none. I do not recall seeing instance of palmettes as one sees on these escutcheons in American furniture construction to say that this would have been made in the 1850s or earlier. He retired in 1870 and died in 1871, so this piece was probably from the 1860s. (click on photos for larger view)

Rare Elijah Galusha Bedroom Furniture Photos

Rare Elijah Galusha Bedroom Furniture Photos Rare Elijah Galusha Bedroom Furniture PhotosRare Elijah Galusha Bedroom Furniture Photos

Rare Elijah Galusha Bedroom Furniture Photos
Rare Elijah Galusha Bedroom Furniture Photos
Rare Elijah Galusha Bedroom Furniture Photos
Rare Elijah Galusha Bedroom Furniture Photos
Rare Elijah Galusha Bedroom Furniture Photos
Rare Elijah Galusha Bedroom Furniture Photos
Rare Elijah Galusha Bedroom Furniture Photos
Rare Elijah Galusha Bedroom Furniture Photos

4 comments

  1. John Faust
    I aways read your website and look forward to the updates. However, I do not like your new logo-I thought the original was much better and more appealing
    1. John Werry
      Thanks for the feedback John.
  2. renaissanceman
    The Elijah Galusha photos are intriguing. The set is quite typical of the work being produced in many of the New York furniture shops from the mid-1850s through the 1860s. Non of the set's architectural elements or design features is unique. In essence, a great many cabinetmakers could have, and probably did, create simular suites. Other than differences in secondary woods, it would be hard to attribute such pieces to specific makers, unless labels are present or documents exist to verify the maker. Renaissanceman
  3. John Werry
    Personally I think that you can take some very minute details - not the overall themes that are present, which as you say are commonplace - and do some attributing based on these items. I see some unique ways that Galusha implemented common design elements that can tip us off.

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