By Hand....made....

this is a hand dovetail...you can see the 'scribe' mark...{the straight, faint, horizontal line, that tells the builder where to end his dovetail} ....

This is the bottom of the drawer...all hand champhored...the sides, of the bottom board are all 'thinned' down,{champhored} to fit into a groove, on the drawer sides, front and back...then a nail or two will hold the bottom in place.... The darling Hand Forged Iron Latch...{ below} is someting I always Love to see...and rarely do....a good clue to it's Early Age...

the back of the old Cupboard....lots and lots of wood patches...{ they wanted it tight! No pests! No Dirt!}

This is the back foot, that is attached to a stretcher, that is mounted to the base of the cupboard...then a dovetail was created for the back feet to slip into.....

top of the Cupboard...where the side crown had been....now it exposes the hand dovetailed case construction...with all of the trim on the top and base...you couldn't see the dovetails...

I was humbled...this Morn...while unloading the treasures gathered, at What Cheer....

The Old...Old Cupboard.... the Early....{1870's...or so...} Walnut, one Drawer Stand....

I ran my hands over them....searching for their voice....or rather...the voice of the one, who created them....So beautifully constructed...the scribe marks...on the little Stands drawer...to guide the creator's hand...on the depth to cut a dove tail....that would hold the drawer together...perfectly....it slides...perfectly...

The dovetails, on the back legs of the Old Cupboard...{I have never seen this done...this way....lovely....} the hand forged iron latches....on the inside of the Old Cupboard's Left Door...have a slight curl...at the latch...so, not to be sharp....and yet...be so Beautiful....with a Touch of Elegance....

John pointed out...the doors are plank doors....with the top and bottom, front, center, champhored down, to accept another inset  board...so the door appears to be mortised and tenon...I have never seen this done, either....

I believe it to be pre Civil War Era....It has Bracket Feet...{almost uncanny similarities, to an Amazing Cupboard John created a base for....a year or so, ago....}

I fell in Love with it...the Moment...I laid eyes on it....

It was recently purchased at an auction, in Ottumwa, Iowa...I can't be sure....But it almost seems Southern, to me.... just a feeling I have... It could be Eastern...but....My Heart says...South....

The Cupboard's Case...is also...hand Dovetailed, together....The strips of wood patches, on the back.... have me guessing...and.....originally....I don't know that it had shelves... the ones in it...have been added....at a later time....

The surface....will be scraped down to it's original red wash...someone started it... so...we will finish it...Don't know if we will build the side crown...it is very unusual...so...we'll see...

John found a name, written on the drawer of the little stand...Charles....with a last name, we can't quite make out....

I owe Gary Darrow...so much....for opening my eyes....20 years ago...so I could See...the Amazing Construction...in a piece of furniture...The Hand Dove Tails...Hand Champhoring...the Width of Boards....the Type of Nails...Screws...and Hardware...the Pegs...Hand Plane Marks...the Type of Woods...

I feel like archaeologist...on a dig...sometimes...with these wonderful old treasures....it's like putting a puzzle together...{I hate Puzzles...} I Love...Old Hand Made Pieces...tho...

Love to Ya!

Barb C.

{Just think...these folks had very primitive tools...and cut their own lumber... built these Amazing pieces... that have lasted 100, plus....plus...plus...years...and still...you can buy a piece, like these...for a fraction of a new, hand made piece....sometimes less than a Super Store... Oh My...I scratch my head....}