Large buffet/breakfront/? with extensive carvings (inc SFW erotica) - comments?

This piece just came in and we are trying to get some information about it. Extensive carved details with some applied pieces as well. Carved detail on the inside of the doors. Bunn feet. Here are some pictures. Has anyone seen anything like it? Thanks! ... Dave

 

Wow, I don't know a thing about it -- but it is beautiful !

 

Thanks! Picture #5, after the one showing the interior shelves, shows the inside of one of the doors. Unusual to see so much detail on an inside surface.

 

The top piece appears to be a filing cabinet of sorts - sheet music, maps, newspapers, magazines.

The legs on the table are called barley twist.

Adding:
This may be English rather than American

 

It appears to be imitating a renaissance Italian piece, probably early 20th C and I imagine quite expensive when new.

 

We were guessing something like 10 to 20K when new. It was given to our customer, and unfortunately the provenance is broken at that point -- we don't know the earlier history.

 

We thought maybe wine, but those shelves are designed to pull out. With the detail work on the inside of the doors, we thought maybe they would be left open in normal use. My wine bottle theory fails as there is no side support for the bottles.

 

A colleague has identified the Greek god Hermes on the carvings on the front of the right door, picture 2 in the large center panel.

 

I agree on Hermes on the right door, but isn't it the 3rd posted picture? He is holding a caduceus - the staff, and wearing winged sandals all symbols for him.

The left door, the 2th pic posted, may be the Dionysus - the Greek god of wine, joy, theater and a lover of peace. The cluster of grapes, a wine goblet, women all over him (Satyrs and Mainades - female devotees or nymphs), and possibly a thyrsos - wooden stick wrapped in ivy leaves and vines - at his feet are symbols for him. Rather than being a thyrsos at his feet, it may be a quiver and bow??

--- Susan

 

Oops! Quite right Susan, it is the 3rd picture that has Hermes! Thanks for the observations on the 2nd picture -- there is a lot going on. I wish I knew what this piece was built to hold. ... Dave

 

Possibly a coin collection. They were commonly held in very shallow trays with a round recess for each coin. If full that would have been an impressive collection.

 

Interesting idea, and it certainly would work for that. I can just imagine how nice the coins would be, if you could afford the price of a cabinet like this to hold them!

I just took another look. There are no stops on the shelves when pulling them out, but the wood is thick enough to support the contents even when only a few inches remain in the slot. Both front doors have key locks. So it would certainly work for a prized coin collection or something similar.

 

Just discussing the decorations again with a colleague, and we wonder how closely the decorations would relate to the contents. The carved detail would certainly fit if the cabinet was used to hold wine/bar beverages, but not so much for other purposes (I'm ignoring the obvious point that if this was a custom piece, the decorations may be solely to the taste of the buyer).

We think now that it would make a fantastic bar, and that may be the best way to market it, although it would have other uses. With the shelves adjusted for more vertical space, there would be plenty of room to hold bottles in the upper section. The lower, open section could hold plenty of bottles too.

 

Here's a coin cabinet from c.1830 with a similar lower section, including the barley twist and feet:
http://www.versmissenantiques.com/cabinets/coin-cabinet-hv1602/

 

No one made that overnight......it's magical !
& yes....musta cost a small fortune !!

 

Gorgeous piece. I think circa 1920 and European or British in origin. Could have been used for a lot of different things. The basic set up is a lot like a linen press but that seems a bit mundane for this.

 

I'd say ornate , rather than busy....just because it's so well done.

 

Impressive piece! Certainly looks like an ornate flat file cabinet for a coin, map, stamp, print, etc... collection.

--- Susan