The Secret is Out!

When I was a new bride my Hubby

and I went to an antique auction.

I don't remember there being any certain item

we were looking for.

We just enjoyed going to them.

This was over 30 years ago, long before it was "vogue" to

attend auctions and sales and be thrifty.

We were newly married and knew we 

could afford the things we found at auctions.

It was an added bonus that we really

liked the funky old things we bought.

This particular auction was at a big warehouse 

in a small town.

Because the venue was so large

the furniture did not seem big.

I saw this armoire and liked it so

I decided to bid.

I bid and there were a few others bidding 

against me.

Then it was just me and one man.

I kept bidding.

My Hubby was watching me but never 

told me to stop.

I kept bidding.

Finally,

the auctioneer shouted out,

"YEP" and pointed at me.

I had won the bid for the armoire.

What I didn't mention was that the armoire 

I bought 

was a little over 10 feet tall

and four and a half feet wide.

It was massive.

And solid English walnut.

And it weighed well over 200 pounds.

Ha!

And it was all mine.

The doors have a special inlay,

also a special walnut.

The middle piece has the 

special inlay as well.

The armoire was in perfect condition 

when I bought it.

It did need the old varnish stripped off,

but besides that there was nothing wrong.

We later did strip it all down 

and bring the natural beauty of the walnut back

without a lot of shellac.

Each door has a (beautiful) lock on it

that actually locks.

This is the back of the lock.

A small piece of metal 

slides down and fits 

into the hole pictured below.

Simple and wonderful.

Another wonderful feature of the

armoire is that there is not a single

nail or screw 

holding it together.

Not ONE.

Nada.

Zip.

None.

Zero.

 

Weren't you wondering how we would 

load and move a piece of furniture

that was over 10 feet tall and

almost 5 feet wide

and well over 200 pounds?

Well the answer is, 

they knew how to make furniture 

in the old days!

The armoire comes apart in to ten pieces.

It has three shelves (that were probably added later),

for a total of 13 pieces.

The two pictures above are little braces that cover

joints that butt into each other.

The two particular braces

are ones we made, but

 we patterned after the braces

that came with the armoire.

(I photographed the 'new' ones

only because they showed up much better

for photographs.)

You cannot see any of them when the 

armoire is put together.

The doors are held on

by these old pins.

Those screws belong to the pin hardware.

The two pieces of pins slide together

and allow the doors

to swing open and shut.

Every single place a board 

connects to another board

there are 

pegs and holes

that allign

and keep the pieces together. 

It takes two or three people 

to put it together.

Two put the pieces together

while the third person holds everything in place!

The joints on the header piece

have tiny, tiny

dovetail notches

 that keep them together.

The header has 

graceful curves on each side.

 

The back is actually three pieces that I have tried to 

show in this photo and the one below.

They slide together

tongue and groove,

(much like flooring does).

You actually have to look 

close and hard

to see that it is not one massive piece.

The bottom is one massive (and very heavy) piece.

It has two big drawers,

each with the 

acorn and leaf 

drawer pulls.

Actually, that is why I liked the 

armoire to begin with! 

They reminded me of my grandmother!

It is such a great versatile piece.

We have had it in the dining room

full of dishes and platters.

I have had it in the living room 

full of old books.

Every Christmas we clean it out

and fill it with old Santas.

The day I bought it,

I had a cousin at the auction as well.

He has a degree in architecture

and he told me to hang on 

to the piece and not ever get rid of it.

He said the size and the detail

in which it was put together

were hard to find.

As I was paying, that same day, a gentleman 

came up to me and offered me

$2000.00. On the spot!

That is pretty tempting

to two college students.

But we did not cave.

In fact, we knew if someone was offering

that much an hour after the purchase,

then we had a great deal.

(The gentleman had not been there when 

the armoire had sold. Thank goodness!!!)

A few years later when we lived in Houston

we saw a very, very similar armoire for

$6000.00.

We smiled.

The only thing our armoire is missing

is the little "crown" on the top.

It has two holes on top, so we know

at one time it had one.

It probably had the 

acorns and leaves pattern as well.

Maybe someday we will find a replacement.

Are you wondering how much 

I paid that day when I 

kept bidding and bidding?

Well, I guess I'll let the secret out.

After all, it was over 30 years ago...

and I have turned down many offers 

on the piece.

It has a lot of sentimental memories attached to it now.

....Am I driving you crazy?

OK.

I'll

tell

YOU

the

secret.

I 

paid

...

....

......

......

$140.00

Yep.

You read it right.

And I never regretted spending 

one dime of that! 

Shhhhh! 

Don't tell anyone!
I am linking with to Rhoda's Thrifty Treasure's and
Susan's Metamorphosis Monday and Passionately Artistic and Wow Us Wednesday's with Kim.
And Open House Party!As well as Furniture Friday with Miss Mustard Seed and 
Show and Tell Friday with My Romantic Home. Don't forget Farmhouse Friday's too! As well as Funky Junk Interiors.