What’s It Worth?

Q:Can you tell me about my furniture that I acquired in 1981? Inside a drawer, there is a tag with numbers but no factory name. The furniture originated in North Carolina. It is in very good condition. -- B.M.

Answer: Your late Victorian bedroom suite was manufactured around the turn of the 20th century. The pieces appear to match and include a bed, dresser with mirror and washstand. It appears to be made of walnut. The set would retail for about $700.

Q:Our dining furniture has been in the family for 80 years. It includes a table, four chairs, a china cabinet and a small cabinet. It is marked "Valley Furniture, St. Louis" and "Pioneer Oak." What is the age and value? -- M.B.

Answer: This suite was manufactured during the late 1950s. The designs may have been painted using stencils, applied over stained hardwood. The pieces were then finished with lacquer. It is made of birch or maple.

Mentioned in several city directories, Valley Furniture Co. was founded in St. Louis in 1922 by several local businessmen. The factory was located in downtown St. Louis. The firm was dissolved in 1964.

Valley mostly produced traditional-style furniture. This set is used furniture and would retail for around $300.

Have a question about an antique or collectible? Send e-mail to with a digital image, or send a complete description with a clear photograph to Jay Moore, Flair Department, Richmond Times-Dispatch, P.O. Box 85333, Richmond, VA 23293. Photographs will not be returned. The large volume of mail may mean a delay in publishing answers.