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Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: kayaklady on December 29, 2013, 10:37:57 PM

Title: Old cupboard? Not sure what it's called or the time period.
Post by: kayaklady on December 29, 2013, 10:37:57 PM
I found this in my parents' basement and I don't know much about it. I want to sell it, but I don't even know where to start looking for information. I haven't found any similar items online so I'm not sure how to classify it or price it.

I can tell from the glass that it is a very old piece of furniture. It has two shelves inside, and it's in very good condition except for a missing handle and needs to be cleaned up a bit.

Any info helps! Thanks in advance.
Title: Re: Old cupboard? Not sure what it's called or the time period.
Post by: cogar on December 30, 2013, 04:14:52 AM
Nice piece.  ;D ;D

Looks like a Plantation (bookcase) desk to me.

Title: Re: Old cupboard? Not sure what it's called or the time period.
Post by: bigwull on December 30, 2013, 04:30:27 AM
I half agree with Cogar....but...i don,t agree with the desk part...as there is not enough "desk area"in front of the doors,unless the drawer opens to reveal an inner desk top....
Title: Re: Old cupboard? Not sure what it's called or the time period.
Post by: mart on December 30, 2013, 07:56:46 AM
That is what it looks like !!  May have a pull out writing surface but pic is sideways and so dark can`t see much detail !!
Can you straighten and lighten it a bit !!
Title: Re: Old cupboard? Not sure what it's called or the time period.
Post by: bigwull on December 30, 2013, 09:35:23 AM
pic is riht way up if you open it,....but even as it is you can see ....that there is,nt enough writing space in front of the doors,with the drawer closed....age wise i,d say late 19th century to early 20th,...value...£250+
Title: Re: Old cupboard? Not sure what it's called or the time period.
Post by: sapphire on December 30, 2013, 10:10:33 AM
Just for mart and her 'high tech' system   :D
Title: Re: Old cupboard? Not sure what it's called or the time period.
Post by: mart on December 30, 2013, 10:21:23 AM
Bless you Sapphire !!  Mine does not straighten up no matter what I do !!
Title: Re: Old cupboard? Not sure what it's called or the time period.
Post by: sapphire on December 30, 2013, 10:32:40 AM
Seeing shots of the construction and hardware should be helpful with dating. Am I seeing brass wheels?
Title: Re: Old cupboard? Not sure what it's called or the time period.
Post by: Dogaman on December 30, 2013, 10:44:10 AM
I would also like to know how the shelving unit is attached. If you take out the drawer, can you see upwards, under the shelves? If not, can you reach in and feel for screws/nails.
Title: Re: Old cupboard? Not sure what it's called or the time period.
Post by: mart on December 30, 2013, 10:57:08 AM
If that is an original drawer pull this would be after 1900,, !! More likely late 30`s or early 40`s !! Can we see inside the drawer and the dovetails on the sides of them ??
Title: Re: Old cupboard? Not sure what it's called or the time period.
Post by: bigwull on December 30, 2013, 11:00:21 AM
I would also like to know how the shelving unit is attached. If you take out the drawer, can you see upwards, under the shelves? If not, can you reach in and feel for screws/nails.
Oh, God, another touchy feely merchant...Mart...y ou are not alone....as for seeing upwards when the drawers out...maybe if they,ve got a trained snake...unless there,s no arse to the drawer housing....
Title: Re: Old cupboard? Not sure what it's called or the time period.
Post by: Dogaman on December 30, 2013, 11:39:51 AM
Wull,

I don't mean to argue, but sometimes the makers didn't include a bottom piece of wood, using the bottom of the drawer itself as the bottom.  A snake would be okay, but hard to train. That's why I asked them to feel inside.

PS--I asked only for my own education.;)
Title: Re: Old cupboard? Not sure what it's called or the time period.
Post by: cogar on December 30, 2013, 11:44:31 AM
Quote
..as there is not enough "desk area"in front of the doors


Plantation (bookcase) desks were not made with a lot of space for writing on , to wit:
 
(http://www.cowanauctions.com/itemImages/81794.jpg)
 
http://www.cowanauctions.com/auctions/past-item.aspx?ItemId=81794 (http://www.cowanauctions.com/auctions/past-item.aspx?ItemId=81794)

Title: Re: Old cupboard? Not sure what it's called or the time period.
Post by: cogar on December 30, 2013, 11:56:32 AM
I would also like to know how the shelving unit is attached. If you take out the drawer, can you see upwards, under the shelves? If not, can you reach in and feel for screws/nails.

Plantation desks are made in two pieces with the bookcase attached to the top of the desk with a couple screws.

kayacklady's desk has moulding around the base of the bookcase section and if there are no screws down thru it ..... then they are up thru the desk top on either side.

Just my guess of course.
Title: Re: Old cupboard? Not sure what it's called or the time period.
Post by: bigwull on December 30, 2013, 01:35:42 PM
  they did,nt have a lot of space for writing..Mmm....you can,t get much smaller than whats on offer here...that "desk area"..is no more than 4in....which makes the whole thing pointless,....if the drawer is,nt part of the writing surface,..then i,d say these two were,nt born together....
Title: Re: Old cupboard? Not sure what it's called or the time period.
Post by: mart on December 30, 2013, 02:07:19 PM
Many of the "plantation desks" were simply stepback cupboards rather than actual desks !!
Title: Re: Old cupboard? Not sure what it's called or the time period.
Post by: bigwull on December 30, 2013, 02:39:51 PM
a bit of  misnomer then...
Title: Re: Old cupboard? Not sure what it's called or the time period.
Post by: cogar on December 31, 2013, 04:32:39 AM
  they did,nt have a lot of space for writing..Mmm....

Now iffen you owned a plantation house that was situated on your plantation somewhere in the southeastern US pre-1900 then you had lots of space in that mansion where you could do your writing ...... and your plantation desk was not one of them.

And in your plantation house you probably had a plantation desk that looked something like this one.

Quote
Description: A refined early American, Southern, solid cherry Plantation desk, finely made with a molded crown, over the two double door cabinets, each fitted with scrolled edge pigeon holes, the desk wide and deep with a single drawer with hand cut dovetail joinery and turned button pulls, all sitting on turned legs with arrow feet. A handsome piece, made with finely grained cherry and yellow pine secondary woods.
Condition: Good-very good for its age, with character wear.
Size: 72 1/2" tall x 48" wide x 31 1/2" deep  $863.00

http://old.ebth.com/cgi-bin/mnlist.cgi?ebth193/category/FURNITURE

Title: Re: Old cupboard? Not sure what it's called or the time period.
Post by: bigwull on December 31, 2013, 06:17:07 AM
No Plantations over here..therefore...n o need to call it a plantation desk,
Title: Re: Old cupboard? Not sure what it's called or the time period.
Post by: mart on December 31, 2013, 11:22:10 AM
Its a southern thing Wullie !!  And it sounded more glamorous than cupboard or simply bookcase !!
Title: Re: Old cupboard? Not sure what it's called or the time period.
Post by: bigwull on December 31, 2013, 11:26:23 AM
Its a southern thing Wullie !!  And it sounded more glamorous than cupboard or simply bookcase !!
LOL!!....just like yer Corn Bread....which by the way...i thoroughly enjoy..... ;D...only 6.1/2 hours to go......
Title: Re: Old cupboard? Not sure what it's called or the time period.
Post by: mart on December 31, 2013, 03:02:26 PM
Till what ???   Party time ???
Title: Re: Old cupboard? Not sure what it's called or the time period.
Post by: bigwull on December 31, 2013, 03:05:15 PM
Till what ???   Party time ???
Thepartystartedtwohoursago....can,t youtell...hic,hic....cos efter a its Hogmany..... ;D
Title: Re: Old cupboard? Not sure what it's called or the time period.
Post by: mart on December 31, 2013, 05:03:03 PM
Your hair will hurt in the morning !!! :D
Title: Re: Old cupboard? Not sure what it's called or the time period.
Post by: bigwull on December 31, 2013, 06:17:58 PM
Head, Mart....i,don,t have hair there eh,ve got it comin oot o, ma lugs, ma,nose ma a***...and ma..*******...but very little where its needed most...now whaur did a pit ma tammy.... ;D
Title: Re: Old cupboard? Not sure what it's called or the time period.
Post by: mart on December 31, 2013, 06:41:49 PM
 ;D