Bow Front Pine Cupboard

HI Folks

I have recently purchased an old property built in 1791 (Northern Ireland, UK), which was originally a collection of 4 Stone Water Mill buildings, and converted to a home. This was done gradually be different owner, starting for around 1850, foolwed by a second building in 1980's, then a 3rd building in 1990's and the last building in the 2000's.
Inside the property are many interesting features inc fireplaces, beams, stonework etc.
We have some original Early Georgian Fireplaces, Cupboards etc. which pre-date the house by up to 50 years, so obviously were added at a later date. So, it appears the previous owners have obtained these antique pieces and installed a lot of these during the conversion.
In the kitchen there is an old Pine Bow Front Cupboard / Larder.
I was wondering if anyone could identify the piece, and perhaps hint at an age. I've tried google, but haven't come up with anything similar, to ascertain its approx age, or original use.
Any help would be much appreciated
Alan
https://photos.google.com/search/_tra_/photo/AF1QipNaiC3gRlyan0e0QxLJNqQPzGGs_dZ7ywhmtVYu

 

Hi zaria, You'll find most members won't click on 'off-site' links to view images. You'll have to post them here!

 

Hopefully that work, apologies I;m getting used to the forum page and how it works. When I tried that originally the file was too big, so I used the add photo icon.

 

WOW!! That IS immense!! And beautiful!! Other members will chime in and are better at aging items than I am!! @James Conrad, @Ghopper1924 ......I just tagged a couple, but more will probably pop in!! JUST out of curiosity, are you REALLY only 12 years old, or a transposition of numbers????

 

We have several members from the UK. Be sure to check back at different times as people come and go all day.

@Ownedbybear
@daveydempsey

 

I love the idea of this, and the pickled wood and it does look quite old.
Are the shelves inside of the cabinet curved to fit the front?
Welcome to the forum, zaria123

 

Haha, I'm definitely not 12, that must have been a typo when I was setting up. Can't find how to correct it though. Closer to 50
Yes the shelves are curved to match the shape of the cupboard.

 

View attachment 227398 Some more photos

 

Someone stripped that then limed it. Irish country made piece - there's a word for that cupboard style, I've quite forgotten it. And I suspect much the same age as the house or a little younger. Handles look newer than that.

I'd love to see some of the other stuff in that house.

 

My feeling would be mid to late 19th century. I've also seen them called linen cupboards. "Pickling" was big, at least in the U.S. Midwest, in the 1980s-90s, so would guess that the refinishing was done during one of the recent renovations mentioned by the O.P. Ownedbybear is right: at least some of the hardware is replacement.

Like almost any alteration or modernization, the "pickling" that was done to this cabinet lowered it's value, which I would have to guess at perhaps $1500 U.S. before the "improvement."

Still a very cool and unique piece!

 

I'd guess late 19th century, it appears it was painted white at one time and stripped.

 

It looks like cypress wood - zaria123 (or anyone) can confirm pine?

Looks very soft wood. This is such a nice utilitarian piece!

 

HA!!!!! SO WOULD WE ALL!!!!!!!

 

It would be a reasonably native or locally grown wood, which cypress wasn't. Pine with deal shelving is likely. If it was ever painted white, it was done far later, but it simply looks stripped and limed - later - to me. The front shaping is typical of country late Georgian here and in Ireland. Would have been stained and varnished to look like a more costly timber.

 

I'll take some photos of some of the other interesting features. I've looked a bit closer and yes there is evidence that it was originally / previously stained darker. My guess is Pine, and it looks like it has been stripped and waxed.
One of the previous owners who did most of the work to the house was the Managing Direct or the Belfast Telegraph Newspaper, and collector of Antique Books and Antiques. They updated and restored the most of the house during the period 1980-2002.
Unfortunately some of the 80's 90's styles which are still in the house aren't to my taste and I want to revert the decor to period georgian style

 

It would have been medium to dark brown, a mahogany wannabee. I'd get a darker wax on it and look for some decent salvage handles. You could have it French polished, but it would cost a fortune.

 

Any idea what would the correct handle type of style for it?

 

Some more photos. We haven't yet decorated the house, so its mostly as it was when we purchased it.

 

Some more photos