Show Posts
1
Antique Questions Forum / Identification Assistance Please
« on: October 17, 2009, 02:06:49 pm »
Hello All,
Just came across a cabinet that was advertised as a "pie safe", but it's unlike any pie safe I've ever seen! It's about 48" wide, 60" tall (base and back) and roughly 24" deep on the base. There are three doors in the base - Two small and one large - that open in to metal-lined boxes, similar to an icebox. There are no drain holes in any of the boxes, and the latches all have locks. The upper/back part of the cabinet has two cupboards with the same locking latch mechanisms as the lower doors. There are also a number of small drawers. Other features include a slide out cutting board (?) which can be seen in the photo as a gray stripe just below the counter top, and a series of vent holes covered with screen mesh. The holes are located near the top on the face of the base unit (there are two visible in the photo to the right of the slide out board). There is another set of holes on the back of the cabinet, but these are located just above floor level. I didn't have opportunity to do a thorough inspection, but it did appear as though the ventilated space was "isolated" from the rest of the cabinet - i.e. the drawer boxes in the bottom of the base do not intrude in to the ventilated space. There are only two markings on the whole piece - the number "120" stamped into the wood on the upper right corner of the base cabinet back, and the number "20" stamped into the wood top-center on the base cabinet back. Apparently the piece originally had a natural oak finish, but was stained years ago by the current owner's father.
Anyone have any idea what this thing is?
Thanks,
Matt
Northwest Michigan
Just came across a cabinet that was advertised as a "pie safe", but it's unlike any pie safe I've ever seen! It's about 48" wide, 60" tall (base and back) and roughly 24" deep on the base. There are three doors in the base - Two small and one large - that open in to metal-lined boxes, similar to an icebox. There are no drain holes in any of the boxes, and the latches all have locks. The upper/back part of the cabinet has two cupboards with the same locking latch mechanisms as the lower doors. There are also a number of small drawers. Other features include a slide out cutting board (?) which can be seen in the photo as a gray stripe just below the counter top, and a series of vent holes covered with screen mesh. The holes are located near the top on the face of the base unit (there are two visible in the photo to the right of the slide out board). There is another set of holes on the back of the cabinet, but these are located just above floor level. I didn't have opportunity to do a thorough inspection, but it did appear as though the ventilated space was "isolated" from the rest of the cabinet - i.e. the drawer boxes in the bottom of the base do not intrude in to the ventilated space. There are only two markings on the whole piece - the number "120" stamped into the wood on the upper right corner of the base cabinet back, and the number "20" stamped into the wood top-center on the base cabinet back. Apparently the piece originally had a natural oak finish, but was stained years ago by the current owner's father.
Anyone have any idea what this thing is?
Thanks,
Matt
Northwest Michigan