Images(2)

Corner Cupboard

Date1810-1825

OriginAmerica, Tennessee, Hawkins County

MediumBlack walnut and yellow pine

DimensionsOH: 92 1/2"; OW: 47 3/8"; OD: 24"

Credit LineMuseum Purchase, The Friends of Colonial Williamsburg Collections Fund

Object number2013-4

DescriptionDESCRIPTION: Corner Cupboard in one piece with a molded and stepped cornice over a plain frieze delineated at top and bottom with a bead; top section has two flat, recessed paneled doors each with two unequal sized panels (smaller panel above larger); interior edges of door rails and stiles molded; medial rail between sections defined by a bead at the top and bottom edges; bottom section with two recessed, flat paneled doors over a shaped skirt with a larger applied bead and French feet; interior of upper and lower sections have fixed shelves; sides of cupboard are perpendicular to front before angling back to rear stile.

CONSTRUCTION: The top, bottom and shelf behind the medial rail are joined to the sides with sliding half-dovetails. The remaining shelves are dadoed into the sides. The vertical tongue and groove backboards and back corner board are butt joined and nailed to the top bottom and shelves. The back corner board is miter joined to the back boards. The backboards are unevenly cut, extending above and below the top and bottom. The sides are shaped to form integral feet and are splayed with inset wedges. Splayed shaped front feet are glued and nailed to the front of the integral feet and are inset into the shaped skirt. The skirt is nailed to the edge of the bottom and glued and nailed to three chamfered blocks that are nailed to the underside of the bottom. The top, bottom and all shelves are single board.

The two piece top rail is butt joined and nailed to the top and to the sides. The medial rail is nailed to the sides and to the shelf behind it. The top edge of the skirt, the bottom edge of the top rail and the top and bottom edges of the medial rail are all trimmed with bead edged lath. In each case, the bead is continued on the sides with applied molding. The skirt, top rail and possibly the medial rail show evidence of a centered molding consisting of a ½” lath with a center bead.

The single board cornice molding is nailed to the top rail and sides. A bead edged lath is nailed to the top edge of the molding.

The rails of the two panel upper doors and the single panel lower doors are joined to the stiles with through tenens. The panels are set in dados in the stiles and rails, with the inside front edges of the stiles and rails rounded.

The primary wood is walnut, with the door panels of burled walnut. The top, bottom and shelves are yellow pine.
Label TextThis corner cupboard represents the excellence in Tennessee cabinetmaking during the early 19th century. The neat and plain appearance of this piece is representative of much Tennessee furniture, as are the double panels in the upper case and the highly figured wood chosen for the piece. The form of this cupboard, with its sides extending perpendicular to the front and then angling back towards the rear foot is unusual for most corner cupboards. This is one of two corner cupboards attributed to an unknown cabinetmaker.
ProvenanceThe cupboard has a history of recovery from an early house in Hawkins County, Tennessee.

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