There isn’t really enough room for this cabinet in the
kitchen – or anyway else for that matter – but I like it too much to sell.
I actually bought this from T, who was moving house and had
nowhere to put it – her loss was fortunately my gain. She bought it from a junk
shop in Nottingham and when I first knew her she lived in a house with a very
tiny kitchen, this cabinet with the drop down leaf was her only work surface in
the entire kitchen, good going on her part I think! When I initially bought it,
it was for a house with a dining room, where it fitted more comfortably – this
seems to be an ongoing issue with the furniture in this house!
This is such a splendid cabinet, and the colour is very evocative of the period. Isn't it nice that you have a piece of T's history in it, as well as your own?!
ReplyDeleteObviously with a lot of 'Pre-loved' furniture, there is always a story behind it, but unless you have something as a family piece, or from someone you know, the story is lost - therefore as it holds significance for you, makes it all the more precious.
I was wondering if T has used a chopping board on the 'surface' of the cabinet for her food preparation, or are there some cut marks in the formica?
I've just had to go and check(!) and no, there are no cut marks, the formica is just like new, so she must have used a chopping board! I love the fact she used it in the spirit it was intended; also on one side of the cabinet three rows of wires have been attached (the sort used to hang net curtains) – I'm not sure if this addition was by T – or it could possibly have been her mother who is a very practical woman! this is where T slotted all her saucepan lids; a true working piece of furniture.
ReplyDeleteIt now houses a range of things - glassware (top and middle cupboards), alcohol and egg cups (middle) oilcloths, table cloths and recipe books (bottom).
How very disciplined of T to use a chopping board every time - ! The three rows of wires are such a brilliant space saving device whatever era they were devised in! So you use the cupboard for quite a lot of items - am I right in thinking that glassware would've traditionally been put in the top cupboards anyway, as they are glass fronted?
ReplyDeleteWhat would the middle section have been used for?
It's great you still have egg cups.
I wonder if many people actually buy eggcups anymore?
Do you have lots of recipe books?
Sorry - lots of questions - but it's quite exciting as it's like a mini-kitchenette all of it's own. I like that you have a range of items in it.
Yes, good on T for taking care of the formica - I must ask her about the wires though.
ReplyDeleteStrangely I have never really given much thought about what purpose the different cupboards served in the past - but you make a good point about the top glass fronted one, although the arrangement of a half shelf within this cupboard actually makes it quite limiting in terms of what you can fit in!
Maybe some research is called for to see what went in the middle part - it makes a good bread board, but we use it to prepare drinks!
I assume the bottom bit could have been a food store as there are two white ventilation holes(?). There is another half shelf in here too, which again limits the contents, but I have 19 (I've just counted) recipe books - five by Delia.
It has to be said that the egg cups don't get a lot of use, however I couldn't be without them, there are 3 in total - non-matching! I bought my mum an egg cup last year as she had broken her favourite one, so they still exist (no pun intended)!
Wow, that's quite a collection of recipe books, P - and I think about a third of Delia's published books, too! I can definitely vouch for your 'Delia' quiche! I have just down-sized my collection to about half a dozen. Some of them were vintage and very lovely books, but the recipes - well I have to be honest - it was just never gonna happen! I couldn't quite bring myself to part with the book (not strictly 'just' a recipe book), 'The Golden Touch Of Hospitality' though, as it is beautifully illustrated. It's from 1953, and printed in Canada, so the party food still seems quite exotic! It's quite a good companion to your cabinet.
ReplyDeleteThe egg-cup story is very endearing, and I agree, we always used to have a favourite egg cup. I think my Mum still has some of the same ones we used for our boiled eggs and 'soldiers' as children!
I have two egg cups - and though they are quite nondescript - I've had them for years!