| Shopping for Classic Designs, Buys on Wood Furniture and Italian Ceramics By: Sally Socolich
This company reflects a recent trend in which antique dealers and stores are buying reproduction furniture from former European colonies instead of Europe itself. Because of high prices and supply shortages in the usual markets, many retailers are importing from such places as Vietnam (French), India (English) and Eastern Europe as well as Indonesia. The Wooden Duck, both a furniture retailer and wholesaler, has a warehouse-style store that's set apart by its low pricing and extensive selection of imports. Some new reproduction pieces (chairs, armoires, tables, etc.), made from pine finished with a light honey color, have the English country pine look. Recently, the pine bedside tables, bedroom dressers with curved fronts and small consoles were priced about 20 to 25 percent lower than at other retail stores in the area. Teak garden benches, tables and chairs, similar to styles shown in many high-profile gardening catalogs, were priced 30 percent to 50 percent lower than the catalog versions. For example, a steamer chair priced at $395 at the Wooden Duck can be found in a catalog for $895. The garden furniture is made from plantation teak grown specifically for making furniture. The Wooden Duck also stocks old teak tables purchased on buying expeditions to small villages throughout Indonesia. The style of this furniture is reminiscent of the old oak and mahogany antique furniture from England and Western Europe. Furniture manufactured in Indonesia in the 19th and early 20th century was made for European settlers or government officials (primarily Dutch or British colonials). While some pieces do reflect an ethnic or Asian influence, most are decidedly European in design, with classic styles familiar to consumers. The tables generally range from $450 to $900, depending on their condition, quality of finish, size, thickness and cut of wood. Most are made without nails and joined with mortise and tenon joints. In pieces where the original finishes have been obscured, the Wooden Duck has had the tables refurbished with a shellac-based French polish that results in a lovely patina. The Wooden Duck will be expanding its inventory and developing new sources in the months ahead, so it is a store that bears watching. Its corner location is easy to spotÑthereÕs always a display of furniture outside the entrance to catch the eyes of passing motorists. Wooden Duck, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday |