Need opinions on this stand,,

[mart]

http://www.kovels.com/media/kunena/attachments/88024/image.jpg

Someone posted this to the Kovels site and since it is a pretty dead forum,,thought I would post it here !! It appears to be a Victorian style stand for a guest book !! This persons grandmother drug it out of the garbage in MI !! Not exactly sure of the height and its possible it had a drawer at one time,,they were not sure if the drawer was still with it or not !! It is at his/her grandmothers house so he cannot see it in person !!   Need everyones opinion please !!

[jacon4]

looks more like a podium to me where one stands to give a speech or lecture

[mart]

Only problem with that would be the center juts forward !! Would have to straddle the center post !!  Ant that would be uncomfortable not to mention the distance from the top !! Would need better eyes than mine !! 
Glad you popped in Jacon4 !! Another post is on a plantation desk late 18th or early 19th century !!Would you take a look if I move it here ??

[cogar]

It looks to me like the compartment was made for a drawer given the "runners" on either side.

Maybe a stand in a public area for giving away "free" literature.

The extended center post would insure that 2 people would have access at the same time to whatever was placed on the shelf.

I'm curious as to why someone would paint it that color. Makes me think it was to hide some "repurposing".

[mart]

Hideous color isn`t it ?? Was found in the garbage so pretty sure it was repurposed !!  They think it had a drawer too but not sure if it was found with it !!

[fancypants]

Looks like a reception podium (restaurant) , missing a drawer , to me .

Non-delightful shabbyscheesh color/finish too !

[KC]

My first impulse was a podium as well...but then realized it looks like a stand for the foyer/entryway.  One would have had some flowers and a card receiver on it.

[jacon4]

Sure, lets look at plantation desk, they were very popular in the south.

"Looks like a reception podium (restaurant) , missing a drawer , to me ."

Or where they put the silverware?

[wilhenri]

I would agree with the above but it looks like a very over constructed piece for something relatively small, is it possible its part of something thats been cannibalized ?

[cogar]

Looks like a reception podium (restaurant) ,

That works for me. With a busy lunch/dinner crowd .... could have 2 lines of patrons waiting to be "seated" by 2 different employees ...... and little fear that a "pushing" crowd would topple it over. Need to see if the back side is "finished".


wilhenri

"is it possible its part of something thats been cannibalized ?

That's what I was thinking when I first said "repurposed" and covered over with that gaudy paint. 
 

[Rauville]

I would maybe call it a "Console type stand", used as KC said. I would also agree that it may be a piece that was assembled and repurposed from parts. That gaudy gingerbread trim looks like it might have been stripped from a piece of old oak furniture.