My Eastlake Victorian Inspiration...Cubbyholes!
I've never been consciously aware of it until now, but I just realized I am a Victorian cubbyhole/pigeonhole/compartment addict! Do they have meetings for that?
Have you ever come across one of these Victorian dental cabinets? Just looking at one makes me drool, rinse and spit.
What is it about these tiny, secretive places that is so intriguing? Maybe it's the organizational qualities of cubbyholes. I love to organize!
Maybe it's the repetitiveness and alignment of the many little drawers and cubbies that stirs something deep within me.
Often, I've gone to antique stores with vintage display fixtures holding many little treasures. Is it the idea of a treasure hunt that appeals to me? I have to open every little drawer to see what's inside.
Is is just the collector in me? After all, when you keep buying things, you need places to store it all. I have a lot of sewing patterns. Maybe I could use one of these:
The idea of Advent calendars always fascinated me. There are some really cute Victorian-inspired wooden ones out there. What's behind all those little windows?
Papers, papers everywhere. I'm a file cabinet junkie. I have seven. This is my Pièce de Résistance, standing 7-1/2 ft. tall:
I'm, like, SO into file cabinets, especially the wonderful Victorian models. Just look at these beauties!
Years ago I had to buy this California job case. These were the trays that old-time typesetters used to sort their metal type. Don't know what I thought I could use it for. Never have figured out a purpose for it.
I love the Victorian inspired CD and DVD cabinets!
I used to be a library junkie. Now I rarely go. It wasn't the books that have kept me away (I still read a ton of them). I'm thinking it all started when they got rid of the old card catalogs...
Jewelry cabinet. Had to have one 20 years ago when they were popular. I think it was because of all the nooks and crannies in all those drawers.
A Wooton Patent Desk! The Holy Grail of desks! If only I had a filthy rich relative who had one of these and I was his/her FAVORITE relative, and he/she died and left it to me...
OK, what have I learned from this confession? Absolutely nothing. Maybe that I'm just plain nuts.
Anyone out there as cubbyhole-crazy as me?
posted by Pam of Eastlake Victorian at
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
28 Comments:
hey! that dental cabinet MIGHT hold all my rubber stamps!
I like the cubby's but I don't have a memory that could keep up with the compartments! I did see a great Victorian dental cabinet just this week at an Antique Mall here in St. Louis, beautiful!
Machelle
Dana and Daisy-
Soooo, maybe you have the same affliction, addiction?
-Pam :-)
Hi Machelle-
That's why I like the compartments that have the little brass slots that you can stick a label into. One of these days, I've got to make it down to St. Louis to do some antiquing. I hear you've got some great stuff down there!
-Pam
What beauties you have shown us here today!!
Debbie
Hi Debbie-
Thank you! I do love it all, and wish I had a bigger house so I could buy it all!
-Pam
Hmmm...I think the Chicago chapter of Cubbyhole Anonymous meets on Wednesdays:). I love anything that allows me to organize things in a pretty manner. The pics you shared made me drool too-it must be a Victorian thing (the collecting and organizing part-not the drooling:)!
Blessings,
Kim
Hi Kim-
Wednesdays... I'll have to write that down. :)
I never thought about it that way: Pretty Organizing! I think you're right about us Victorians. I'm really happy when I'm collecting and organizing!
-Pam
Hello!!! I am impressed those are some fantastic desks.
yvonne
Hi Yvonne-
Unfortunately, not all the objects shown are mine! The hexagonal cabinet with the white knobs, the pattern cabinet, the advent calendar, the 3 outdoors shots of gigantic file cabinets, cd cabinet, card catalogs, Wooton desk and dental cabinet are only wishful thinking! :)
-Pam
I love card catalogs too! Do the libraries still have them? I would come home and make cards for all my books (on a typewriter!) and then long for a card catalog of my own to put them in...
I have one of those California job cases and I love it! I hung it on my wall and any cute knick knacks I find I display in there. I have miniature cards, pretty porcelain dolls, small photos etc... It looks wonderful and I am always changing it around when I find new things!
I love all of these, especially the dental cabinet. It would be perfect to organize my office, but as another commenter pointed out I probably could not remember which thing was in which tray or drawer! You're exactly right about libraries - they're not the same without the card catalog. My grandmother was a librarian and I also liked the Dewey decimal system . . . computers just aren't the same.
Cheers,
Leah
Hi Teresa-
I haven't seen the good old-fashioned card catalogs in years. I think all the libraries are totally on computers now. It's sad. I didn't know you were a card catalog fan! We'll have to discuss this over dinner soon. :-)
-Pam
Hi Miranda-
When I got my California job case, that's what I thought I'd do, too. But most of my knick-knacks were too big for the tiny holes! I guess I should start another collection of really teeny things so I can use mine! :-)
-Pam
Hi Leah-
I worked in a library for 3 years while I was in school. I liked looking books up in the card catalog, and you're right, it's just not the same on computers. There was a certain weird smell the cards had in those old drawers! :-)
-Pam
Came back for another look. That last one looks like the old Larkin
desks they used to have in the catalogs. Such a beauty.
yvonne
It does look like a Larkin desk. Maybe they made this one, because it does look like it had a drop-down desk like a Larkin.
-Pam
Fabulous post. I drool...
I just stumbled across your blog and wanted to share our story. We currenlty live in the Chicago suberbs too, but have a historic row house from the late 1800's we are renovating in Pittsburgh. We are funishing the house with Eastlake. Over the past 2years my husband and I have been collecting furniture & hardware for the house. Keep up the good work- Christi
http://www.mexicanwarstreets.org/about.html
Hi Marcie-
Thanks! ;-) We'll drool together!
-Pam
Hi Christi-
I'm glad you stumbled on over! Let me know if you have any great sources in the Chicago area for Eastlake I may not know about! I've gotten most of mine on eBay.
Your historic neighborhood in Pittsburgh looks really interesting. That's great when people like you take the time to restore a home in the old Victorian historic districts. I wish you luck and joy!
-Pam
The Wooton Desks were made in Indiana, The company was started by William S. Wooten in 1870 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The design of this desk was patented and in 1876 it was exhibited at the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia. Because of its impressive stature and utility the Wooten Desks are often referred to as "The King of Desks".
I saw a number of these BEUTIFUL desks when living in Indiana. Oh how I too would love to own one today.
Thanks for dropping over to my blog ....I appreciate you so much, love the stuff you post...SO VICTORIAN.
And don't we LOVE it.
Rose
Hi Rose-
Thank you for that great information on the Wooton desk! I don't think I've ever seen a Wooton for sale in person. There probably aren't any that would wind up in any of the antique shops I go to! Probably only sold through fancy auction houses and dealers nowadays.
-Pam
hi Pam
Christi here. Hope all is well with you. We've had a lot of luck with craigs list. Some items are overpriced and others are a steal. We are willing to travel for the right piece. My husband has a good eye and has purchased a few pieces that were hidden gems under layers of paint! For fun you may want to check out the Harp Gallery in Wisconsin- they have a great web site. http://www.harpgallery.com/
Hi Christi-
I've never tried Craig's List. I'll have to start looking there when I need an Eastlake fix! And the Harp Gallery site is wonderful! So many nice pieces of furniture. Thank you so much for the great advise! :-)
-Pam
can I come live with you?
Terry
Hi Terry-
Yes, come on over. We can set you up in a cubbyhole. It will be a tight fit, but I think you will enjoy your stay! :-)
-Pam
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