Featured Anyone know what this is???

I got this cool antique for free from a Baltimore foreclosure yesterday. My mom and I can't figure out what it is - never seen anything like it. We are thinking maybe a liquor cabinet from the early 1900s? Or a desk? The bottom half folds down like a desk but the top two doors are hinged and open like normal cabinet doors. Has anyone seen anything like this before?

 

I think these are called secretaries/secretary.

 

If it has holes in the back I'd say radio cabinet. They used to make really nice ones back in the 20s. The tops opened too on some of them.

 

Wow I never thought of that - this does have several holes in the back! @evelyb30

 

evelyn could be correct. Maybe a radio on top and a slide-out phonograph on the bottom.

 

That's probably it - makes sense. A Google search of stereo cabinets from the early 1900s brings up pieces that look very similar to this - but none with the fold out bottom. A phonograph would be a good explanation @lauragarnet

 

Brad will know for sure when he sees it. Hang tight.

 

Yay!! Thanks!! Anyone know an approximate value by chance? When I look it up on google I can only find mostly the vintage radios themselves, not the cabinets.

 

Swanky cellarette / secretary / "stereo" cabinet

Just kidding, it could be a cellarette, though - dry bar...

it could be any one of those, but very weird the way the "doors" have been bisected.

 

@scoutshouse thats what I thought at first too! A bar. But I don't think the shelves are tall enough for liquor bottles. It could be though!

Also - the drawer at the bottom is fake it's not really a drawer. If that makes any difference in what it is

 

Whatever it was originally, it could have been altered via holes in back to serve as a radio/phonograph-cabinet, I betcha.

EDIT
If those two cows in your picture were mine, I'd name 'em POW and WOW, the COWS.
Or possibly HOW and NOW.
Or maybe MAU and TAO.

I'll stop now...

 

If it weren't for the bisected doors, I'd say secretary. Looks looks like that's what it's been used for. Really, fake drawer?

 

The secretary idea (with maybe later holes/alterations) is growing on me... I could see just lowering the writing surface, without opening the upper cabinets, which maybe held stuff less frequently used, while the bottom area and writing surface had the basic stuff... pencil, paper, eraser, such as that.

 

Capehart might be a name to investigate. Maybe try an antique radios forum.

 

I have one with the fold-out on top and the divided part on the bottom. It still has a fragment of the radio wiring diagram inside. On that one the top opens to access a record player or whatever was up there. At least when it's not piled high with junk!

 

Welcome!

 

The cows names are Gina and Moonshine actually! ❤️

Thank you everyone for all your input! I have lots of investigating to do! Yall have been so helpful!

 

Good to have you (and Gina and Moonshine, and unidentified male companion?) on board, Melissa!

 

Little late to this but agree that this is a radio cabinet. Circa 1930.

 

It's settled, then