I am refinishing a display cabinet that I was told was a ice box from the victorian period. It is four feet long, two feet deep and about four feet high. It has a two foot wood base with a mirror backed glass top. The front and sides are solid Walnut and the back with 6 doors and a drawer is Cherry. The drawer appears to be a cash box. The one section of doors has wooden grates inside, which I thought was were the ice would go, but the grates were in really good condition. Upon lifting the grates up I found a square metal eliment which appears to be filled with a asbestos material. There also isn't any drain plugs anywhere. all of the compartments are lined with tin and the floor of the glass display area is lined with tin. I have come to the conclusion that its a warmer display cabinet. The only indication of age is the locks on the drawer and all of the doors are eagle locks which I found pictures of in there 1896 catalog. My first question is did they have such warmers around in 1896 and just because the locks are from 1896 does that mean the cabinet is? Why the use of two different woods? I will post pictures later.
