With Georgia away helping her mother through eye surgery, I used the time to finish a project I started last fall. I have written a description of the project, but before we go to admiring the handiwork of man, here are a few shots at "natural" beauty that was eviden in the dew this morning. You won't see it if you don't click on the image and enlarge it.
The known history of this piece is as follows:
This "Hoosier Cabinet" belonged to the mother of Georgia (Walser) Gray, who passed it on to Georgia who passed it on to her daughter Beatrice Elizabeth (Gray) McPherson. Beatrice passed it on to her youngest daughter Nanette K. (McPherson) Wilkins. After moving to a smaller house, Nanette had stored it in her garage. The ladies who maintained it through those years, painted it; first white, then tan, then yellow, light teal and dark teal. During 2009, it was taken to the garage of Steve and Georgia (McPherson) Kneller with the goal of restoring it to functional form again. Georgia is the oldest daughter of Beatrice and Paul McPherson.
During it’s “yellow years”, the cabinet was on the carport turned recreation room of Paul and Beatrice. There is a set of 3 holes in a triangle in each side where Paul (Mac) had mounted a pencil sharpener. Although the cabinet is oak, 2 of the shelves and a partition are of pine plywood, apparently replaced at some point. Since it was painted, the type of wood wasn’t important. I (Steve) left it rather than replace the pine because I felt it represented the service this piece provided during those years. The back however was irretrievable and only a portion of the tambour (rolltop) was still present, so I replaced these parts with new oak wood. I decided to use clear paste wax for the finish, trusting it was most likely very close to the original finish. There is a hole in one of the metal drawers, the lid for the breadbox is missing, and the flour sifter is missing. I would love to be around when in another few generations, someone discovers this description glued to the bottom of the
wide shallow drawer and fills in the blanks and decides whether to give it life again or end it’s service to family life. This piece is special to me because I grew up with one very similar which was painted white. The upper portion was last seen mounted above the sink in the “back room”.
This "Hoosier Cabinet" belonged to the mother of Georgia (Walser) Gray, who passed it on to Georgia who passed it on to her daughter Beatrice Elizabeth (Gray) McPherson. Beatrice passed it on to her youngest daughter Nanette K. (McPherson) Wilkins. After moving to a smaller house, Nanette had stored it in her garage. The ladies who maintained it through those years, painted it; first white, then tan, then yellow, light teal and dark teal. During 2009, it was taken to the garage of Steve and Georgia (McPherson) Kneller with the goal of restoring it to functional form again. Georgia is the oldest daughter of Beatrice and Paul McPherson.
During it’s “yellow years”, the cabinet was on the carport turned recreation room of Paul and Beatrice. There is a set of 3 holes in a triangle in each side where Paul (Mac) had mounted a pencil sharpener. Although the cabinet is oak, 2 of the shelves and a partition are of pine plywood, apparently replaced at some point. Since it was painted, the type of wood wasn’t important. I (Steve) left it rather than replace the pine because I felt it represented the service this piece provided during those years. The back however was irretrievable and only a portion of the tambour (rolltop) was still present, so I replaced these parts with new oak wood. I decided to use clear paste wax for the finish, trusting it was most likely very close to the original finish. There is a hole in one of the metal drawers, the lid for the breadbox is missing, and the flour sifter is missing. I would love to be around when in another few generations, someone discovers this description glued to the bottom of the
wide shallow drawer and fills in the blanks and decides whether to give it life again or end it’s service to family life. This piece is special to me because I grew up with one very similar which was painted white. The upper portion was last seen mounted above the sink in the “back room”.
2 comments:
Steve, the cabinet is absolutely gorgeous!!!!!
WOW!!!!!!! I can hardly wait to come home and see it! IT IS JUST BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!! Please put it in the kitchen where I said under the big floral, and move the white table, take all the crystal off and just set it on the table in the dining room. I would like to paint the table, I think white, but I am not sure yet about the color, so, it can go to the garage until I get home. You did an amazing job and the cabinet has such special meaning to me,I come from a long line of Georgia's. Isn't that so cool? I LOVE YOU MORE THAN YOU WILL EVER KNOW FOR FIXING THIS PIECE FOR ME!!!!!!! THANK YOU AND LOVE YOU MORE THAN YOU WILL EVER KNOW!!!!!!!
Post a Comment