We're very excited to syndicate one of our favorite columns, 'What It's Worth,' from one of our favorite magazines, Country Living. All text and images below are provided by Country Living. Get ready to be surprised!
“I bought this multi-drawer sideboard at an antiques shop. Can you tell me about its history?” -M.O., Livingston, New Jersey
1930s Dentist's Cabinet
Our antiques specialist, Helaine Fendelman, appraises your finds and collectibles.
During the first half of the 20th century, Wisconsin's American Cabinet Company produced specialized furniture — including this 1930s mahogany hutch — for dentists' offices. The Federal-style piece (note its thin, tapered supports and leaded-glass door panes) features shallow drawers for storing tools and upper compartments to hold vials of medicine. Your find would have stood in an exam room, where, according to a 1930s ad, it served as a "silent salesman," convincing patients of a dentist's "judgment, skill, and professional success. Your judgment in buying this score? Equally impressive.
What It's Worth: $2,500
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