Early American "rooster" corner cupboard, from my cousins

Hello, all: My three cousins would love to hear your comments on this corner cupboard that they inherited. They are trying to get information on it from the museum. Here is their message, thanks in advance for your help, as you see you are legendary:

Judy - Here are some pictures and dimensions of the Rooster Corner Cupboard.
We own this together and are trying to figure out value and how/if to sell.
It is beautiful but needs a big house - which none of us have.
Front width 3'9", height 7', triangle corner depth 2' approx. and with 5 shelves on top and 2 shelves below. We would be really interested in what your antiques board folks think.

 

Why is called a rooster cupboard. And was it called a cock cupboard (like a cocked hat) but someone got a bit euphemistic?

 

AF, in the third photo, there is a rooster on it.
I truly love it, but I know nothing about furniture.

 

My cousins just found out they have to pay a "researcher" to get access to the museum records. Maybe worth doing, in time. Does anyone have experience with the MESDA museum?

 

I think there might be two roosters, those things that look in the first photo like splotches in the centers of the upper sections.

 

It is nice, by the way, to be able to write cock without being censored! I remember when we had trouble writing Takashita, and "your pen is on the way."

 

My pen never arrived!

 

WOW, I love it I also plan on decorating my kitchen in rooster border wall paper plus other rooster items I have collected over the years..

 

Pics of feet and back? Can anyone go look, as long as you do it in person? And was MESDA before their family acquired it? Origin? Looks like VA or MD to me. Fab piece, but you already know that.

 

Interesting piece. It is walnut and 19th century but I can't tell you much more. The museum tag leads us to believe that it is Southern in origin? Without that knowledge, I might have thought French. Of course, if it is Southern, it is much more valuable. Doesn't seem particularly large to me. Most modern houses could accommodate this.

 

I don't see any need to pay someone to do a search.





Using the number provided on the label and entering it into the MESDA browser search I came up with the following information.


http://research.oldsalemonline.org/ProficioPublicSearch/ShowItem.aspx?17796


MESDA Object Database

Category: FURNITURE
Obj Name: CUPBOARD, CORNER
Artist/Maker:
Place Made: East Tennessee (attributed)
Date: c. 1810
Materials: walnut primary
light wood inlay primary
poplar secondary
Description: Corner cupboard with cove molded cornice; incised rope and tassel inlay across the frieze and down the upper stiles; two upper doors with one recessed panel each, decorated with central incised gamecock surrounded by oval light wood stringing; mid-molding missing; two lower door with one recessed panel each, decorated with central incised diamond surrounded by oval light wood stringing; feet missing. The inlays are typical of those seen in the Greeneville area of east Tennessee.

History: No history of ownership
Object Location: private collection
Photo Number: S-7380

 

Hi Pat,
Well done!!!! Southern furniture I know nada but it brings big bucks. East coast stuff, I had a journal with thousands of hints on how to tell the different areas. Lent it to a friend
who died. Her family never found it, I guess it was tossed. Gee that was so long when I lived in Philly.
greg

 

Some of those linens in there may have some value too. I can't really see what's there, but let them know not to toss them. I think I see some lace items, and some of those can have very good value, depending what it is. Looks like some printed vintage tablecloths on the bottom (maybe). Ooh, how I would love to go through those linens for a looksie!

 

Cluttered closet, you are a miracle. Cousins and I all tried and failed, LOL. I will let them know. Any thoughts on value, now that we have a better idea what it is? And best auction house for this sort of thing?

I will ask about the linens. I'm not sure if they belong to my cousins or to another branch of the family.

 

You've dealt with Brunk's before. One option. Leland Little I don't think is as strong with furniture, but I could be wrong. Looks like there are SOME feet left? Southern pine usually is much much pricier than walnut, but I'd guess around $2,000 give or take.

 

I wondered whether Brunk's would do better than Sotheby's/Christie's because of the Southern angle.

I think my cousins are hoping it is more valuable than $2,000 (that doesn't end up being much when you divide by three). But I bow to your incredible experience and expertise.

 

Interesting that this is from Eastern TN. In trying to come up with similar examples, I ran across this ........

http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entry.php?rec=529

 

Found this one.......

http://caseantiques.com/item/lot-291-e-tn-cherry-corner-cupboard-with-tassel-inlay/

and another from the same auction co.......

http://caseantiques.com/item/lot-147-east-tn-walnut-corner-cupboard-w-vine-inlay/

 

Fascinating, and spot on.

 

Great work. Although this one is cherry, it's very similar to my cousins', and the price realized is not much more than what Birgitta predicted.