Need Help: Identifying an old china cabinet

Hello All,

I joined due to cleaning out the garage and risking conflict with my wife over an old China Cabinet that is taking up way too much space and effectively being neglected. She wants to keep it forever and insists it is very old and valuable and an heirloom piece, while I think that it may be quality, but unlikely as old or valuable as she claims (especially since it's just left in the garage near the trash cans without ample cover/security).

Anyhow, I hope some of the experts here can assist in giving us a clue on what this is, perhaps where to find parts/guidance on restoration (if it's deemed "worth it") and once-and-for-all let us both know what we're dealing with so there can again be peace (and more garage space!).

Thanks in advance!


Basics:
- It appears to be oak
- It appears to be older
- Craftsmanship is decent, but perhaps not artisan
- There is black stenciled ink with the numbers "3600" stamped a few times, but no labels or manufacturer markings
- There are some wax crayon type markings (mostly blue, and perhaps pink or white)
- There are some pencil scribbles
- Hardware appears old
- There is a piece that is sitting with this stuff that I don't believe belongs anywhere near it

Edited to Add:
- Wife got it off of Craigslist in Texas, USA. No background, she just liked it. It's been here 5 or 6 years.
- All together, it's likely 7-8' tall, 4.5' wide, and maybe 20" deep
- It is completely disassembled. :|
Photos incoming...

 

More photos...

 

And photos of the piece that I don't believe belongs, but could be very wrong...

 

Is it completely disassembled? I'm having trouble interpreting all the photos.
And the second set of photos of that drawer doesn't look like it belongs.
From the bits I can see, it looks 1940s-ish, mass-produced, decent quality, but not particularly valuable.
But do wait for the more knowledgeable furniture gurus to happen along.

 

u failed to mention it's in pieces...

it's hard to make heads or tail of....but from what I can see....... 1950's...maybe...and looks like it would be a pig to re-assemble ....

but...
happy wife
happy life...

so there is that to consider !

 

Yes, she bought it disassembled and it has been as such since. And agreed RE: 2nd set of photos. Those wooden knobs, dovetails, and no apparent mounting place for it make me think it doesn't belong at all. It does have "3600" penciled on it, but not stamped/stenciled like the rest.

Thanks for responding and looking forward to others who can help!

 

I can't see where the drawers would fit into the cabinet....they look a different style ..

 

Other than not having an assistant to assemble it, it is pretty straight forward... 3/4" or 1" dowels, back appears to slide in, and the just needs 14 arms to hold it all together whilst setting the top of it 7' in the air!

And of course, Happy Wife, Happy Life... that's somewhat why I am here. If it's worth it, I'll get it all fixed up AND get some garage space back. Ha!

 

and insists it is very old and valuable and an heirloom piece,...................

I ..... imho.....don't see how it falls into any of those categories ..

Heirloom...had me thinking it has been in your family for generations....

 

u may get garage space back.......& us guys luv that.....but u ' will ' lose house space..!
a thing to consider !!

 

I don't have any desire to explain heirloom to her - if you know what I mean.

 

If this beast goes in the house, the abomination of a hutch/cabinet in there now gets to become firewood or mulch so it should balance out.

 

Hello GS2024 and welcome. I have the opposite problem, I have cluttered up my garage with all of MY crap that I can't seem to part with. I am my worst enemy.

 

good luck my friend.... u do indeed have a balancing act to perform..

 

Secretly, that's part of my mission. Replace disassembled furniture currently littering it with proper projects I can work on.

 

my car has not seen the inside of my garage since...... 4 ever.....
and most.....of what's there is indeed ''' my crap ''''...! Sigh...

 

Looks like an old French walnut armoire that has had the doors fitted with glass. It my be antique or nearly so. Also not sure how the drawers would fit.

 

Interesting, never thought of that (retrofitted glass). The base (picture included below) actually has a drawer integrated. Not dovetailed joinery, but original. Those other drawers never looked right to me and seems the consensus here is the same.

 

Educating myself... French or French-style? I'd been thinking it was in the French country-style.

 

This is a European style armoire so it may well be French. Just not a period example.

Was wondering if the extra drawers might fit somewhere behind the doors?