My New (very old) Christiansen Co. Workbench

[Ben Martin]

I responded to an ad off of CL the other day about a Woodworker's Bench for sale locally, from the ad I could tell that it was something special and definitely needed an extra look. I shot an e-mail off and set up a time to go take a look.

I went over this morning and looked over the bench, the owner said that he had done some work for an older lady and took it in as payment. He had about a 7' long piece of bowling lane that he was going to build a new bench with so this oldie needed to go, I was just the guy to help with that!

I cannot find anything to date the bench, but was able to come up with a 1908 Popular Mechanics ad:

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp325/martbj/Christiansen%20Workbench/christiansenwb.jpg

The bench is in great condition, and only requires a new handle for the face vise which will be a great project for my new lathe! The vises and drawer work well after a quick "lubing" with beeswax. The top is in fairly good shape and has 100 years of patina, I love old tools and this is much prefered to building my own! The only place on the bench that might use some attention is replacing the piece with the bench dogs cut into it, but I don't think it is needed immediately, it appears that this piece is seperate from the rest of the bench.

The bench measures 75" x 25" end to end (not including the vise), the working surface is 16" deep. The face vise opens to 14".

Ok, enough talking and on to some pictures...

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp325/martbj/Christiansen%20Workbench/330621040_photobucket_12816_.jpg

(The vise on my outfeed table, seen in the forefront, also might be a 1908 model, also made in the Chicago area).

Close up of the maker's badge.

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp325/martbj/Christiansen%20Workbench/330621040_photobucket_12799_.jpg

Shot of the base, which I believe is beech.

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp325/martbj/Christiansen%20Workbench/330621040_photobucket_12800_.jpg

Shot of the face vise.

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp325/martbj/Christiansen%20Workbench/330621040_photobucket_12798_.jpg

With the vise opened, it is pretty neat how it is loosely assembled which allows for racking.

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp325/martbj/Christiansen%20Workbench/330621040_photobucket_12804_.jpg

Bottom of the face vise.

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp325/martbj/Christiansen%20Workbench/330621040_photobucket_12807_.jpg

Tail vise.

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp325/martbj/Christiansen%20Workbench/330621040_photobucket_12801_.jpg

Tail vise open.

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp325/martbj/Christiansen%20Workbench/330621040_photobucket_12802_.jpg

Bottom of tail vise.

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp325/martbj/Christiansen%20Workbench/330621040_photobucket_12806_.jpg

View of table, while it is nowhere near smooth, overall it is flat and I am just going to leave it the way it is.

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp325/martbj/Christiansen%20Workbench/330621040_photobucket_12805_.jpg

And the price, only $300, which I think was a smoking deal. Heck I couldn't even get the vise hardware for a new bench for that much.

A couple hours ago a nearly identical bench was posted on CL, this gent was claiming the bench to be worth between $2500-3000, but he was looking for offers. I responded saying that I just paid $300 for one and that that was apparently market value, he replied that we were worlds apart. :D I am happy that I was able to save this from some "hipster" making it a kitchen island in downtown Chicago....

Thanks for looking!

[Matt Evans]

I seem to have turned a strange color of green suddenly. . .

Nice find!

[Zach England]

I've been looking for one of these to put in my dining room as a wine bar. I'll give you $3500 for it.

[Jim Koepke]

What a great score.

jim

[David Christopher]

WOW, thats a one in a life time kinda deal

[Ben Martin]

I've been looking for one of these to put in my dining room as a wine bar. I'll give you $3500 for it.

There are hipsters in SLC too????? :D


WOW, thats a one in a life time kinda deal

And hopefully I will get a lifetime of use out of it...

[Zach England]

There are hipsters in SLC too????? :D



And hopefully I will get a lifetime of use out of it...

Salt Lake is far more hip than most guess. It is full of microbreweries, xeriscaping, priuses, art galleries and gentrified neighborhoods of turn-of-the-century bungalows. The more culturally conservative crowd and the large families fled for the suburbs decades ago.

[Harlan Barnhart]

It's nice to see it going to someone who knows how to appreciate it.

[James Owen]

Nice score....worthy of a huge "you SUCK"!!!! ;-)

[Dan Andrews]

The one woodworking tool I realy need is a good bench. I will give you $325 for it and you will have made a quick $25. proffit. Generous aint I?

That beautiful old bench is a major score, congrats.

[George Sanders]

What a wonderful find. I am glad you got it. Tools were made to be used; not converted to some other use like hanging on the wall of a cafe as "decor". Enjoy it.

[John A. Callaway]

It needs a plate of cheese and a bowl of grapes... And why is it in your shop... I am just amazed that you put it out there where it will get ruined...

now...

go put that workbench in your dining room and use it as a buffet like a good pretentious interior decorator would.

no really. great score... Most of us figure you saved about $2200.00 bucks buying it. !!!!

[Ben Martin]

no really. great score... Most of us figure you saved about $2200.00 bucks buying it. !!!!

Can you convince my wife of that? I picked up some other great steals the other week, the excuse I got a great deal is starting to lose its' luster.

[Gary Hodgin]

Nice find!

[John A. Callaway]

just show her this.

http://www.harpgallery.com/showroom/item6741.html

nuff said.

[Ben Martin]

just show her this.

http://www.harpgallery.com/showroom/item6741.html

nuff said.

I sent that to her, her response was, if it is worth much, why don't you sell it then...UGH.

I asked her how many usable 100 year old workbenches for $300 she knew of...

[Tom Vanzant]

Be careful Ben. That's a slippery slope if there ever was one...

[Ben Martin]

Found some more ads for your viewing pleasure. Apparently Christiansen liked to change their ads often, these are from the Wood Craft Journal from May, June and August of 1914.

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp325/martbj/Christiansen%20Workbench/330621040_photobucket_13489_.jpg

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp325/martbj/Christiansen%20Workbench/330621040_photobucket_13490_.jpg

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp325/martbj/Christiansen%20Workbench/330621040_photobucket_13491_.jpg

[george wilson]

Hardware dealer: I want a Christiansen's bench! And I want it at the 1914 price!!:) Aren't the old ads great?

[brian c miller]

I love old benches. I have a hammacher schlemmer bench from around that same time. Some where along its life it got a Emmert added.

[Charles Biddles]

Wow, I have a extremely similar bench I just got off craigslist for free. Same Chicago vises as yours, same top, just different base and mine has a bigger drawer. I wish mine was in the same condition as yours, any help identifying the wood on top and the stand? I plan on restoring it, and just hitting it with some boiled linseed. Mine has been very well used. I also have the metal bench dogs! I'll post pics when I get it back together.

[Stew Denton]

Ben,

A well deserved "ya done good!"

I don't have a clue what it should cost, but $300 seems like a very good deal, and I really like having and using good old tools, and that bench looks extremely usable. Again, congrats, good job.

Stew

[Bob Glenn]

My Swedish grandfather had and used one of these. It was in the basement of my Aunt's house and I tried, unsuccessfully, to talk her out of it several years ago. After her death, I called my cousin about the bench and she said my sister had it. Called the sister and she wouldn't give it up, said her husband uses it. I asked for picture so I could build one. She sent a picture of it in the garage. It was stacked with cardboard boxes and junk. Yeah they're using it alright. Pisses me off!

[Jerry Olexa]

WOW...YOU DID WELL..... BTW You Suck!!!!!

I'm envious.

[glenn bradley]

Everything Jerry and others have said. Ya done Good.

[Dan Sink]

"It costs no more than a poor bench and will wear 10 times longer." This thread proves them right! The only way that ad could have been more clairvoyant is if it had said - "Christiansen Benches - In 100 years a bunch of people from across the world will be sitting in their homes using these things called computers to look at pictures of your bench on this thing called the Internet and wishing like hell that they had one." I don't suppose that would have helped sales much back in the 1910s though.

[Gary Cunningham]

Sweet! Nice score.

[michael langman]

It's great that the bench has found a good home. Now go out and buy a lottery ticket Ben, before your luck runs out.