Post by pooka on Sept 27, 2010 17:53:47 GMT -5
Call me crazy but this was my most prized possession before I found my Chambers. I got for FREE from a lady in Boonville, IN out of a house that was built in 1885. She bought the house from a 95 year old lady who's husband had owned several clothing stores in the area. She was in the process of cleaning out & remodeling. I responded to an add about a free kitchen table that she had on craigslist. I took my cousin with me in case I needed help moving it. It was a huge old house just a few blocks from the old court house. When we got there the table was in sad shape. It was one of those old pedestal tables that were everywhere in the late 1800's - early 1900's. The pedestal had fallen apart from being stored in a damp basement but I thought I might be able to glue it back together & use it, but that's another story. Anyway my cousin noticed all this old wiring, scape metal & junk that was piled in the yard that had been pulled out of the house. He had fallen on hard times & asked if we could haul it away for her to sell for scrap & she agreed. When we came back to start were allowed to go into the old carriage house/garage & there it was piled high with all manner of cool old stuff. old lumber, & just plain junk. I could see only the 3 small drawers & part of the doors, but I could see it was something special & thought she would never let me have it. After 3 loads of scrap metal & scrap wood & junk my heart sank as we uncovered it I saw where termites had eaten up one end making it lean back & to one side. I thought this thing is only worth firewood. The more we hauled away the more she got to trust & like us because we were polite & cleaned up after each load. She called me back to see if there was any thing else we would like to take. I think she was overwhelmed from redoing the rest of the huge old house & knew this was one more project that she didn't need & agreed to let me have it along with the bottom part of an old roll-top desk. When I got it home I noticed it wasn't in that bad a shape aside from the termite damage. The sides & the shelves are made of 22" wide poplar wood & was still rock solid. After airing it out & cleaning with wet paper towels then oil soap then turpentine the more I fell in love with it. They just can't make them like this anymore. I built a frame to put under it with wheels to make it easy to move around with a new foot-board to replace the one the termites ate & presto I've doubled the cabinet space in my kitchen. It used to be a dry-sink but was converted when they got city water. I can't help from touching it every time I walk by it. It's like touching the past every time. Am I crazy or what? Thank for let me ramble.