I'm hoping someone out there will be able to help me identify this sideboard. I've had it a few years now, tried doing some research - furniture index, stacks of mobilia, books, etc. Maybe I haven't been looking hard enough, but I haven't quite found it. That or maybe there's simply nothing to be found. I'm learning slowly, but I know there's lots of you out there who are plenty knowledgable.
It's fairly large. Drawers on the right, two drop down fronts in the middle, and sliding door with shelves on the left.Recessed handles. The cabinet is teak, the base is oak. The drawers seem to be made of some thick plywood. Other than that, it just seems to be pretty good quality and curious if there is a specific designer or manufacturer that could be behind it. Not a single marking anywhere!
Any help is appreciated. I'm happy to continue researching, so even just push in the right direction would be helpful.
Thanks!
Despite
the very professional exterior -- perfectly matched veneers on the drawers, nicely installed handles -- I wonder if this isn't an amateur (?) one-off. It's those exposed plywood drawer sides ! Surely there must have been, somewhere, skilled home woodworkers who would want to own "Danish modern" furniture, in the 'fifties or 'sixties.
The mixture of teak and oak is another curious choice -- sensible from a structural point, perhaps, but not really necessary for strength, and not usual in professionally-designed furniture. And, those machine-made finger-pull handles have been available, in some catalog or other, for decades.
"Honey, I saw the nicest sideboard in a store downtown, today; do you think you could make one like that for me ?"
SDR
The back is tacked in with finishing nails.
The drawers have dados cut into the drawer sides, and they slide on some plywood runners glued and nailed into the inside.
It is weird about the non-veneered edges. The two drop down fronts and the sliding door are all properly veneered, and the inside of the drop downs and shelving are nicely veneered as well. Curious indeed.
How are the
drop-downs used ? What is behind them ? Is it both center panels ?
Someone had access to matched veneered material, or had the ability to make their own veneer panels. But when it came to drawers, they were less well-informed or equipped. Drawer slides are almost always of solid hardwood, for good reason.
(Keeping the slides waxed is a good idea.)
Perhaps this piece was made by someone who worked at a cabinet factory, and made this piece from goods they got at work -- but they were left to make the drawers at home ? That would be comparable to those guys we hear about who worked at Herman Miller and put together their own chairs from mis-matched factory parts, etc.
Most interesting !
Not sure
Not sure exactly what the drop downs would have been used for really. They seem to be weird sizes, another reason I thought it might have been custom built. It's both middle sections. The top one I suppose could have been for glasses?
The bottom one is quite tall - maybe for bottles, and no shelves or anything.
Regardless I'm very happy with the piece, and I'm glad to have your opinion and input!
If you need any help, please contact us at – info@designaddict.com