Posted 14 years ago
Jilery
(2 items)
I am not even sure what this piece is called but I LOVE it...I had it appraised years ago and they thought it was OLD but I don't know for sure...I would love it if someone out there knew what it was..I have searched and searched and not found another one like it. If I did I would have multiples...It has sort of an odd shape it is not a "true" bow front as it is "squared off" not rounded... I purchased this at an antique barn...It was in the very back up against the wall behind some other items and fell in love with it...It is darker in person that in the pictures, I think my flash washed it out...
check out the Berkey & Gay old furniture line that operated out of Grand Rapids in the early 1900s. I have seen a similar design in their old oak furniture., in fact, I traded one of their dining room suits for an old Malayer Oriental rug.
They made great furniture.
Thanks cis2you, but unfortunately I don't think that is the maker...They created pieces of furniture primarily of birds eye maple and I wasn't able to find any pieces remotely like this one:( I am going to keep looking though, I would love to have other pieces...
Looks like a piece of church furniture, We called it the reserve vault, it was where the extra (reserve) sacrements (wine & bread) were kept in case of dire need.....
Yes it does to pop_abides. Berkey & Gaye clearly mark their furniture with a bronze/brass token inside a drawer. I have collected Berkey Gaye furniture since the 70's, and have 5 pieces all in Walnut- I traded off the one dining room suite in Oak. I wish I had it back it was ornately carved and beautiful- much like
your piece Jilery. Good luck and happy hunting. (did I say Oak? I meant maple) sorry.
Don't be sorry cis2you, I appreciate your lead...If nothing else, I learned of a new beatuiful maker of furniture and now I know what to look for when I see birds-eye-maple;)
pop-abides- I had another person tell me the EXACT same thing...hummmm...I would not even begin to know where a church would acquire their pieces from and how would this one have found its way to me? I would think a "sacrament" cabinet would stay with the church? I know when I bought it, I was told the former owners lived in Wisconsin and had the cabinet for YEARS, but they were not the original owners, they too had it appraised and that appraiser said it too was from the "Stuart era" in a Dutch, Flemmish style? I may have to pack it up and head to the roadshow...lol...I am not really interested in finding out how much it is worth, I would rather know where I might find more...The hunt continues but thanks for your imput...