There are sometimes arrangements of antiques that have an innate charm to them. It may be an old weathered piece standing alone in a house where unknown history seems to fill all the rooms. Sometimes it’s in the arrangement of family photos and knowing those people all have stories that are still to be uncovered. Sometimes its the placement of a chair so that the fading light of the day hits it just right. Sometimes it’s the artful blending of old and new.
We’d like to thank Dedra, Ginny, Allen and Starla for sharing their photos and love of antiques with us all.
This appears to be a very nice antique corner cupboard. We’re guessing it is mid-19th century, but it could be earlier. And, despite the peeling paint, it looks to be in good condition. It is of a simple design, but does have a strong cornice. The wood could be walnut, or pine, or cherry. We don’t, of course, get into monetary value at Dusty; that would take a expert looking at the details of construction and with knowledge of the local market. Most corner cupboards are, however, great pieces and “desired” by collectors. We would approach the finish with care after trying to find the age of the paint and what parts of it, if any, were original. Right now at Dusty, we’re really into the “leave as it is, after sanding to remove chips that might be toxic” movement. Maybe that ‘s because we’ve seen so many corner cupboards refinished to a shiny cherry gloss that it’s hard to tell them from good quality reproductions. Everyone has their own preferences, however. Most people would not be comfortable having old, unsealed lead paint flaking in a home with children or holding dishes. We’d just like to recommend research into all finish options and caution. It is a lovely and strong piece.
