Remember these?
I promised there was potential in them, under the decades of grime, dirt dust, paint spatters, spider nests, and red electrical tape.
Ready to see it?
And this is what I used to transform them (may contain affiliate links):
As I worked on these cabinets I came to a great appreciation for the handiwork that went into each element – the hand-fitted joints; the thought that went into the choice of wood for the cabinets – plywood on the back, hardwood for the frames, pine for the drawer boxes, but beautifully grained maple for the fronts of the drawers; the routed handles; the precisely placed iron rings for padlocks. They may have been intended for utilitarian purposes, but the craftsman who made these had an elegant eye for form as well as function. Each drawer was designed to fit in its own slot perfectly (in the photo above they are out of order, but in the final pictures, I lined them up correctly). The drawers are numbered 173 through 180, and 183 through 190… and I fantasize about finding all the other missing numbers!
These were truly a labor of love, and I hope they go to someone who will adore them as much as I do!
UPDATE: see these vintage hardware store cabinets repurposed as a tv console HERE.
Such cute little pieces! Great job fixing them up
Thank you for stopping by!
These truly are beautiful. I'm so glad that you didn't paint them. Can you tell me their size and price? Feel free to e-mail me pmmcclane@msn.com
what a great find! Cleaned up nicely too
You have done a beautiful job of restoring these drawers. Thanks for telling us what products and techniques you used. I am wondering if you have any idea of how they were originally used, or what kind of business or profession owned them? When you think of it, the idea of padlocks on individual wooden drawers seems kind of strange when if you really wanted what was inside, a couple of good axe chops and you've got access to whatever was stored in there. Maybe "back in the day" robbers and theives were not so vicious, and locked drawers just meant "no access" with no questions asked. Hard to phanthom now days. That's sad isn't it? Oh, found you via MMS.
Thanks for the kind words! That is exactly what I've been wondering myself – I wish I knew more about their origin. I purchased them from some new homeowners who were clearing out things the previous owners had left in the garage. I so wish I could track down their history – as well as the numbers 1 through 172 that must be out there somewhere! Your comment cracked me up – I think we would be friends 🙂