Featured Saved from the White Chalkers

Love this one, dutch biedermeier around 1850, am I right? It was threatened, very much in danger of being chalk-painted because its veneer is not in great shape, it had a rough life. I paid 70 euro(84 dollar...a lot of italian lira) for it. I just wanted to share this one with you, it is one of my favorite finds.

 

I'm glad you saved it.
It looks transitional Biedermeier-Neo-Gothic (Dutch Gothic Revival). Neo-Gothic started around 1840, Biedermeier lasted until ca 1848. Styles never stop suddenly, so this could well be ca 1850.

 

Catching glimpses of your living space is intriguing..............you appear to be an interesting person - the kind i like to put on my list of "you HAVE to meet this person!"...............its a shame we are so far apart................physically, that is.

 

Like the ogee arches and beadwork; it feels more like the 1850s to me. And yeah, the skeleton lends an interesting touch, not to mention the devilish portrait. Who painted that? It reminds me of Current 93/David Tibet/Steve Stapleton. Cool bronze garniture as well. Thanks for saving the piece from the chalk painters!

 

that would be me, I am a disillusioned artist.(used to listen to some of those you mentioned)
The bronze neo gothic candelabras (from my belgian uncle again) really do go well with it, what do you call this? a cabinet, wardrobe, armoire, chest, so many words in the english language for something to put stuff in, the dutch just call it a 'kast'.

 

And WHO might that EXTREMELY pale, bony individual be sitting in a chair right in front of your piece !!!!!! Also, kast or armoire, it's still lovely!!!!

 

Depending on how configured inside, it could be a linen press. Goes nicely with your décor and paintings, that I also happen to be intrigued by. Good job in saving this and putting together your space. Even kitty got involved I see.

 

Seems short for an armoire. Maybe it is a linen press.

One last question: Who did the portrait on the wall next to the skeleton? It looks like Mark Mothersbaugh, but there are other weirdo noir artists doing similar things. In any case, it looks well done. You again?

 

For 70 Euros I'd have jumped on that too. Chalk indeed! Are those escutcheon thingies (where the key goes) ivory? They make me think whoever built that originally cared about what he was doing.

 

I think this would be a 'meidenkast' in Dutch, a kast for the maid's or any other servant's belongings.
Meidenkasten are narrower than other kasten, after all servants didn't have much money to buy clothes, etc. They would usually wear a uniform and hand me downs from the family of the house.
A Dutch 'linnenkast' or linen press is usually very wide.

 

that is my white walker, protecting my brown furniture from the chalkers, also known as Skinny Petra(when she wears the red wig).

And my cat Lot, she follows me around everywhere when I am trying to do something, like taking pictures.
The kast or meidenkast/ small(only 1m 64 tall and 1m 05 wide) linen press has three shelves, very simple really, I keep my bedsheets and such in there. But I like the feature of the secret drawer on top, one can only open it from the inside, if the kast is locked so is the drawer. I do have a key with it, but it kept falling out so I stored it elsewhere, the plates around the keyhole are indeed ivory.

No the Devo-guy did not paint that, that was me again...

 

Opoe, I think that piece is absolutely lovely! (And Lot is, as well!)

 

Is Lot named for the guy in Genesis who always lands in trouble and NEVER learns from his mistakes? Good name for a cat.

 

I don't know about opoe's cat Lot, but Lot is a Dutch girl's name, short for Charlotte, Lieselotte, etc. Often turned into Lotje, -je is diminutive, which makes it sound more cute in Dutch.

 

Lotje, spelled differently of course, is an old nickname for Charlotte in English and German too.

 

Yes, that is usually Lotti-Lottie-Lotty. All very nice nicknames, by the way.
The j in Lotje is pronounced like the y in yes.

 

Lot, also known as Lotje, Lotteke(the southern dutch, flemish version), Lottie-baby, schattekat, cutie cat etc...
indeed short for Charlotte

 

My cats usually had a different nickname every week, though I did use some names more than once. They always knew I was addressing them. The one I used most was Poppeke, also southern Dutch, which means little doll.
Now all my Poppekes are in cat heaven, after a long and happy life (with us at least, some were rescued from bad circumstances). My health is too bad now to give another cat the care and attention it needs, so no more furry friends here.

 

My cat came with the name Genie Joy, which was promptly changed to Genie Houdini; she escaped into my basement and vanished for a few days. She gets called Squeaker, Tail-cat, Furball, Thumper... Goofball....

 

Great piece, but I was more intrigued by the surroundings ... especially after the second picture!!