Helen Hobey Baker Furniture: The Collector's Guide

Some vintage furniture whispers. Helen Hobey for Baker does not. Walk into a room with one of these dressers and the first thing you notice is the hardware, then the burl, then the way the whole case seems more like a cabinet than a chest of drawers. It is formal, a little exotic, and still very much mid century modern. Here is what we know about these pieces, what to look for, and what they are selling for right now.

Who made Helen Hobey furniture?

The pieces were made and sold by Baker Furniture, one of the oldest names in American furniture. Baker traces its start to 1890, when Dutch immigrant Siebe Baker opened a woodworking shop in Allegan, Michigan. The company made its first piece of furniture in 1893 and grew into a maker known for high quality case goods sold through designers and fine furniture stores. Kohler Co. acquired Baker in 1986, and the company still operates today.

Helen Hobey herself is harder to pin down. Dealers and auction houses list her name several ways: "Helen Hobey," "Hobey Helen," and "Helen Hobey Baker." Some dealer listings describe the design as the work of a husband and wife team. We were not able to find a museum, archive or company record that confirms who she was or how she worked with Baker, so we treat the biography as an open question. What is not in question is the furniture itself, which is well documented and widely collected.

Baker and the Asian modern look

Asian inspired design was not new territory for Baker. The company's own history credits its Far East Collection of 1949 as the first truly Asian furniture collection made in the United States, and in 1951 Baker partnered with Danish designer Finn Juhl on a modern collection for the American market. Helen Hobey pieces sit comfortably between those two worlds: clean, modern cases with Asian influenced detail.

How to recognize a Helen Hobey piece

Once you have seen a few, the design language is hard to miss. Here is what to look for.

Walnut and burl

Most pieces are walnut, often with figured burl used as an accent: a band across the top of a headboard, a row of drawer fronts, or a raised top section on a highboy. The lively burl against calm, straight grained walnut is one of the signatures of the line.

Sculptural hardware

The hardware is the giveaway. Dealers describe die cut bronze pulls with a Chinoiserie feel, and many dressers and nightstands center a textured brass pull with a radiating sunburst pattern inside a carved, elongated hexagon outline. You can see that detail up close on our burl and walnut lowboy dresser.

Doors in front of the drawers

Many Helen Hobey case pieces hide their drawers behind paneled doors. A highboy may open to burl faced drawers up top, open cubbies in the middle and deep drawers below. Closed, it reads like a fine cabinet. Open, it is a hard working dresser.

Lifted stance

Pieces typically sit on a dark stretcher base with squared legs, or on tapered legs with brass caps. Either way, the case floats off the floor, which keeps even a long lowboy from feeling heavy.

Check for the maker's mark

Look inside drawers and on the back of the case for a Baker label or stamp. Because the designer's name is not always on the piece, the Baker mark and the distinctive design details together are what most dealers rely on. Our guide to identifying vintage furniture makers' marks and labels walks through what to look for.

What pieces turn up most?

Bedroom furniture dominates the market. You will see:

• Highboy dressers, often with doors concealing drawers and cubbies.
• Lowboy dressers, long and low, with a lot of storage behind a quiet paneled face. At full length, a lowboy also works as a credenza in a dining room.
• Pairs of nightstands, usually with doors or a combination of drawer and cabinet.
• King size headboards, often with a shallow peaked crest and a burl band across the top.

Credenzas, cabinets and mirrors also appear, but less often. Matched bedroom groups are especially desirable because finding pieces that share the same burl and hardware is getting harder. If you are weighing a highboy against a lowboy for your room, our vintage mid century modern dressers guide can help.

What is Helen Hobey furniture worth?

Prices depend on the piece, condition, and whether it has been refinished. Based on recent asking prices from dealers on 1stDibs, InCollect and Rarify, along with our own listings, here is a realistic picture:

• Highboy dressers: roughly $3,300 to $4,600.
• Pairs of nightstands: roughly $2,200 to $4,600.
• King headboards: roughly $1,900 to $3,500.
• Across all Helen Hobey furniture on 1stDibs: asking prices run from about $2,400 to $6,500.

Keep in mind these are asking prices, not sold prices. Burl and walnut examples with intact original hardware sit at the top of the range. Missing or replaced pulls, veneer damage, or heavy water marks bring the value down.

As-pictured or restored?

At Mod City Madness, every piece is sold as-is, in vintage as-pictured condition, with the option to add restoration at purchase. Our restoration includes sanding, staining, glazing, toning and lacquering, along with adjustments so drawers and doors work smoothly. For a design like this, where the contrast between walnut, burl and brass is the whole point, a careful refinish can bring that contrast back to life. Some collectors prefer the original finish, and that is a perfectly good choice too.

Shop this look

We currently have a matched Helen Hobey burl and walnut bedroom group, plus a second pair of nightstands. See the full Helen Hobey Baker burl and walnut bedroom set, or shop each piece:

• Helen Hobey Baker Burl and Walnut Lowboy Dresser
• Helen Hobey Baker Burl and Walnut Highboy Dresser
• Helen Hobey Baker Burl and Walnut King Headboard
• Helen Hobey Baker Pair of Nightstands (matches the burl and walnut set)
• Helen Hobey Baker Pair of Walnut Nightstands with carved pulls

Own one? We buy and consign mid century furniture

If you have a Helen Hobey or other Baker piece you are ready to part with, send us photos and details and we will take a look.

Looking for something specific? We'll find it. Tell us what you are after and we will keep an eye out.

Common questions

Is Helen Hobey furniture made by Baker?

Yes. Helen Hobey pieces were made and sold by Baker Furniture, the American maker founded in 1890 in Allegan, Michigan. Look for a Baker label or stamp inside drawers or on the back.

When was Helen Hobey furniture made?

Most dealers and auction houses date Helen Hobey pieces to the 1960s and 1970s.

How do I recognize a Helen Hobey dresser?

Look for a walnut case with figured burl accents, sculptural brass or bronze hardware with an Asian modern feel, doors concealing the drawers, and a case lifted on a stretcher base or tapered legs.

How much is a Helen Hobey highboy worth?

Recent dealer asking prices for Helen Hobey highboy dressers run roughly $3,300 to $4,600, depending on condition, burl and original hardware.