Featured My Grandad's cupboard which he called a pastry table

This was my Grandad's cupboard many years ago.
When my Grandparent's died we had to empty their house and all I could get in my car at the time was this old cupboard,which I love and am very happy with ( though I wanted to take the Rayburn it was still attached and too big for my car, I still cry. ) So I've had it 17ish years.

They lived in The Black Swan, Hay on Wye,if that helps. (Can't see how it would but am telling all I know!)

Anyway I should paint it as it obviously needs it but I want to keep it as it is as they painted it with their own hands.
It's been in Mr. Bou's shed for years but finally I have found space for it inside. Needs more cleaning too.

Just wondered if anyone could tell if he'd made it,or if he'd cobbled it together or if he got it as is,they were always at what they called *the sales* ( auctions) and bringing fun stuff back.
It has a metal top, I think it was enamelled at one time.
I think the back bit is added at a different time,it's like plywood, but ... my usual disclaimer applies:
** I KNOW NOTHING**

It's really dark here today. Pics are not good.
(I have plenty more if needed)

It's quite small, measures approx 36 inches across the top
18 inches across
25 inches down
( I hope that's right! I hate measuring things. It is small.)

He used to call it his pastry table.


The metal top


The catch looks coppery colour under the paint







Inner drawer




Looks like the original paint was green?




Thank you everyone xx​

 

Looks like the base to what we in America call a Hoosier cupboard.
Hoosier being the company that made them (originally I believe - wiki says they made the most). Others copied them. Don't know if they have a different name for them in England.
Do you just have the base? or do you have the top as well?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoosier_cabinet
https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=hoosier+cupboard&FORM=HDRSC2

 

That's interesting...does look like that. I'd never have thought it was half of something, interesting.
They did have loads of different things in their house which they got from all over the place.( no bath or toilet though lol)

Thank you CC. Off to do some investgations xx

 

These didn't always have a top, but yes, we do have the equivalent to Hoosier cupboards. My grandmother had one in bright yellow. flour bins, the lot. Easiwork was the trade name.

This is indeed for making bread or pastry. Possibly from a farm kitchen, but a pub makes massive sense.

No drawers? Is there any sign of zinc lining to the cupboard? It would have been the meat or cheese safe if so.

It's late 19th, from that nice porcelain enamel top.

I really would NOT paint it, the colour is wonderful so is all that sign of age. I'd clean it carefully then lightly wax it with a clear good quality wax to keep the paint.

 

Thank you My Mrs. B...I do have the drawers. Here is the pic of inside one.
They had a farm as well...their house wasn't an inn when they had it, I should have mentioned that, sorry. It was just a house when they had it. THOUGH it could have been left behind when they moved in perhaps?
EDIT: No I can't see any zinc.xx

Thank you so much for this info. Am thrilled with her.
They did have some of those Hoosier things, in fact they had everything and lots of it ( thanks, Grandparents! Now I also have a house full of Things. Strong gene )
I couldn't live with myself if I painted it. I love how it looks, It has marks from use, and a lot of the marks are from my Grandparents <3


Edge of drawer

 

I love it. Brush down carefully with a soft brush - wallpaper one, would do it - on the outside. You could clean it with a bit of Fairy in hot water inside, same with the enamel top.

 

Lovely,thank you, will do! xxx

 

Love this info,thank you @daveydempsey xxx

 

I think THIS is so cute,they lined the drawers with old tiles


and this is on the back of the cupboard door
​

 

I actually live only 11 miles from Ross.
I used to travel to Ross car boot every Sunday and then alllll the way to Leominster car boot then all the way home. I don't have my car atm and anyway no one seems to be going anywhere for a while but I have had some great bargs at Ross car boot xxx​

 

I'm with the others: don't paint.

It's got tons of personality....like you!

 

That is such a lovely thing to say.THANK YOU Ghopper <3

( I am not going to paint, I can see now reading my post that it looks like I was contemplating it...I'm not. I have no intention of painting it, *they* chose it and painted it and I just like it like it is xx)

 

Is there anything on the back of those tiles? They're Victorian, typical of hall floor tiles.

 

No,nothing on the back Mrs.B...they are plastic, they feel like lino






sorry for double pic

 

Think this is 20th century and the plywood is original. Typical of 20s-30s Hoosier cupboard here in the US, porcelain top and all. Not sure how that translates to the UK but would think the use of materials similar.

I am with the others. leave the paint as-is.

 

I did my very first deal in Hay-on-Wye!
When I was 16, I hitchhiked with a pal up to Hay-on-Wye to sell a 17thc book we found in an abandoned chapel. I suppose because we were kids, Booth's manager called up Mr Booth and he sent a car down for us bringing us up to the castle(?) [big house anyway!] for tea and sandwiches.
He gave us a great education that day, explaining that even though the book we had was from the 1600's, it had very little commercial value because the subject matter had no appeal - as I remember it was an account of the trial of King Charles/James the whatever.
He bought the book from us anyway and we hitchhiked back home to Merthyr a little bit richer and a lot wiser.

 

Explain to a Yank what 'Fairy' is, please?

 

It just "Dawned" on me it's a kind of dust