Old Pine Cupboard

Through the years the only type of wood used for cupboards was oak. It is strong and will last a lifetime and beyond. Then, people thought that if a cupboard was made of any other wood it was no good and would not last very long. Pine wood was among those woods. Although pine is a soft wood compared to say oak; it is quite lovely because of the grain going through it. It is much cheaper than oak or other woods, but still people wanted something other than pine.

In the old days such as the late seventeen hundreds and the early eighteen hundreds, an old pine cupboard usually held jams and jellies. That was the time that the farm wives would take the fruit from the farm and can them for winter. Some say the only place you would find them would be in the mid western part of the United States, some will argue they were in the East.

An old pine cupboard could be small or large, depending on the size of the house it was housed in. they had narrow shelves and were open on top to display items such as pewter or other knickknacks. The shelves on the lower part of the old pine cupboard were closed off by a door or two and that is where they would put the jams and jellies or other canned goods. Some of the old pine cupboards would have an overhang shelf say in the middle; that is where they would store dishes and some food for serving.

When searching for an old pine cupboard be aware that the nicks and scratches just add character to the piece. Some will not want to buy it like that but if you are buying an old piece of furniture you must expect these little imperfections. An old pine cupboard is much lighter weight than oak or another type of wood. And they are much less expensive as oak. Although it is a soft wood it will hold up just as well as any other wood. It will just have more dents and nicks.

Today an old pine cupboard is prized collections by the serious collectors. The ones with the original paint although it might be worn off in some spots are highly sought after. Some will still have the original iron strap hinges and the handles. In nineteen twenty Montgomery Ward store had their old pine cupboard and can be bought for a mere nine dollars and eighty five cents.

Not to mention that when an old pine cupboard ages it seems to have a satin sheen to it. If it is not painted of course. As the old stain ages it will give off a nice luster and can be quite beautiful. Many people will paint the old pine cupboard and they really should not do that. It diminishes the value as well as the look of it. Some restores will buy an old pine cupboard and strip off the paint and then stain it.