Images(3)

Corner Cupboard

Date1820-1840

OriginAmerica, Virginia, James City County

MediumBlack walnut, cypress and glass

DimensionsOverall: 224.8 x 119.4 x 61cm (88 1/2 x 47 x 24in.)

Credit LineGift of Susan W. Redd and Martha W. McMurran

Object number2015-178

DescriptionApperance: One piece corner cupboard; two glazed doors in upper section with three rectangular glass panes on each door; two fixed shelves in interior of upper section at level of glazed door muntions; lower section has flat recessed paneled doors with one shelf in interior; between upper and lower cabinet doors and across skirt are wide horizontal bolection moldings; full height vertical bolection molded pilasters on projecting straight bracket feet and with projecting blank capitals flank cupboard; flat sawn broken scroll pediment between pilaster capitals.

Construction: The back of the one piece corner cupboard is comprised of four top-to-bottom butt joined boards on each side extending ½” to 1 ½” above the top and 1” to 2” below the bottom except for the two boards that form the back corner which extend to the floor. The boards are nailed from the back to the edges of the top, bottom, upper cabinet floor and the two upper cabinet and one lower cabinet shelves. The 1” x 8” stiles are nailed from the front to front edges of the aforementioned, and extend about 4” above the top and to the floor, where, along with the back corner backboards, they support the cupboard.

The upper, medial and lower front rails are tenoned with pegs into the edge of the stiles. The flat sawn broken scroll pediment is face nailed to the upper front rail. The capitals are nailed to the extended upper end of the stiles and are glued on the underside to an angular flat molding. Below the capitals, the full height vertical 4½” bolection molded applied pilasters are face nailed to the stiles with the nails extending through the stiles into the case shelves, top, cabinet floor and bottom. The flanking triangular moldings are nailed to the stiles. Horizontal bolection moldings are face nailed to the medial and lower front rails. Below the pilasters a glued flat angular molding capital tops the projecting straight bracket feet which are nailed to the stiles.

Frames for both the glazed and flat panel doors are of similar construction with rails through tenoned into stiles. Doors are hung with (replaced) butt hinges. The inside edges of the glazed doors are molded to match the muntins which are tenoned into them. The edges of the flat panel doors are chamfered on the back to fit into dados on the stiles and rails. The hinge edge of both lower doors has been replaced. The lock for the upper doors is surface mounted on the proper right door; the lock for the lower doors is inset mounted on the proper left door. Sliding door latches are inset in the upper edge of the upper left door and lower edge of the proper right door.

The cupboard is of black walnut with the exception of the back, top, bottom, shelves and upper cabinet floor which are cypress.
Label TextThis architectural cupboard may well have been made by a rural joiner or carpenter in James City County near the Gregory family home "Pinewoods".
ProvenanceThis corner cupboard descended in the Gregory and Warburton family of Charles City and James City Counties and Williamsburg, Virginia. The donors' father’s family lived at Pinewoods in James City County until the beginning of the 20th century when they moved to the Peyton Randolph House in Williamsburg. Later in the 20th century they moved to 402 Scotland Street.