Featured Cocktail Cabinet

Hello,

I’m new here so please forgive me if I make any faux pas. I’m not an antique expert by any means but I am a person who likes well made things- particularly furniture.

I bought this cocktail cabinet in the UK recently, not because I thought it was worth a lot of money but because I liked it. The mirrored, hinged pull down mixing shelf is very cool!

I’d be really grateful if anyone could give me an approximate age. I assume it’s more modern than it appears. The top is plywood. The drawers and solid timber. I’m unsure of the woods used. I’m guessing late 60’s but I’m probably wrong.

The item’s dimensions are :

L1365 54”

W485 19”

H33” and 39” to the glass shelf


Thank you very much.

 

I’d say it’s a walnut veneered piece ca. 1950. Love that late Deco-era round-edged styling. Great cabinet!

 

You've a great eye, Alvar. That's a fun piece. And condition quite good.

By way, I've reposted one of your photographs as Full Image (instead of Thumbnail) which will make it easier for everyone to see. You'll want to remember to do that when you post photographs in the future.

Debora

 

Thank you for your reply. Do you really think 1950’s ? That’s great ! And walnut is a great call, I was having difficulty identifying that. Thank you.

 

Thank you Debora,

I read the rules about posting images under 1mb that’s why I down sized them but perhaps they got downsized again.

Thanks for helping me out.

 

When you go to Upload a File you Choose File, select your photograph, and then Close. Your photograph is now ready to post. To the right of it you will see two options: Thumbnail and Full Image.

Here's what happens when you click on Thumbnail:



Here's what happens when you click on Full Image:



Debora

 

They weren't downsized again, the site doesn't do that. They show as thumbnails, which happens when you don't click on 'full image' when you post them. That is what Debora meant.

Gorgeous cabinet, btw.

Edit: explanation sniped by Debora.

 

I

I understand now, thank you.

 

What a fun piece ! And in wonderful condition. Now you just need scads of MCM bar ware !

 

Yes! Fun to fill.

Debora

 

Very nice item. Takes me back to my younger days.

 

Ohhh pretty. Readily saleable if that's your intent. If not, stuff it full of glassware and good booze and don't tell the MCM addicts you have it.

 

Welcome Alvar! Other folks here are far more knowledgeable than I, but it looks like 1950’s to me, and utterly delightful.

 

Thank you and to all who have helped identify the piece.

 

It’s going to be mid fifties. We weren’t really making fun furniture much in the forties, it was still all Utility stuff. That criss cross pattern is typically fifties does thirties.

nice find.

 

Thank you

I’m not going to sell,

I’m going to make G n’ T

P

 

Looks great!

This may be a dumb question, but I’m truly trying to learn…how do you know it’s not actually from the 1930s? The construction reminds me of my grandparents’ furniture from that era. It looks more Deco than MCM to me, especially with the color stain of the wood.

 

The more restrained curves and lack of multiple veneer patterns makes me think 1950 rather than 1930. Although 1950 is smack in the middle of the century, there was still some lingering Deco design here and there. I think of the MCM look that is still relatively popular as more late 1950s to late 1960s.

 

To me, lots of things none of which is definitive in itself... It's horizontal rather than vertical, lighter and less substantial, more airy and light than closed and heavy. The wood grain isn't the story. The curved wooden pulls have a 1950s "atomic" rhombus design. It doesn't attempt to hide it's factory origin. Compare it to this Art Deco example (or another of the period you can find via Google Images.)

Debora

 

Right after WWII they were still making Moderne pieces because they needed to make furniture but the designers had all been doing other work or were still in uniform. Hadn't had time to get going anyway. It was kind of a down period for music too, so they go hand in hand. Or hand in record cabinet.