September 23, 2012

Old Watchmaker's Cabinet

I have a thing for little vintage cabinets. Find me an affordable antique thread display cabinet and I would swoon for days!!! I am not sure when I became so interested in small cabinets, but it has been with me for a while. Two and a half  years ago, I did a post about my attraction to cabinets with shelves and small cabinets. You can read it here.

I keep my eyes peeled, hoping one day I will stumble upon one for a price I can afford. Wait...I will be right back! 
After typing that sentence, I became a little wigged out about 'peeled' eyes - it sounds so goulish!!! So, I had to do a quick search and here is what I found:   " To keep one's eyes peeled means to be alert, observant. This seems an odd phrase, but dates back to the 1820s in Britain, when Sir Robert Peel established the first organised police force. The officers were known as 'peelers, or 'bobbies'. They were expected to be particularly observant and to keep their eyes 'peeled', after their founder's orders! Of the two popular names, only 'bobby' survives."  -Still sounds weird, but it makes sense now - thanks for indulging my curiosity!!

On to the point!  I finally found a sweet little chest type cabinet with shallow drawers that stole my heart! And, it's mine!!! And, I love it!


Here she is,  an old watchmakers cabinet



The top was completely down to bare wood, 
which I didn't dislike, but I wanted to bring 
her back to the beauty of her heydays 


She has been waxed all over except for the front top



Look at the original little knobs


I had no idea how or where I would use my  little cabinet.
She could not just sit on the floor.

A few days after I got her, G-Man asked if we could clean up
the courtyard which had become shabby
 (and not in a good way)  during the summer.
We agreed that a table needed to go -
 an inexpensive auction find that consisted of an 
old sewing machine base topped with an ugly,
 stained marble slab on top
Out went the slab, but I could not donate the
adorable sewing machine base that a former owner 
had given a nice coat of black paint.
Eureka!
 I just found the perfect base for the cabinet!!! 
And, it fit perfectly




The perfect base - and I didn't have to spend more $$$



I dressed her for fall today



On the left is one of a pair of zinc planters I found at a florist
who was getting rid of the 'antique' section of their store



The two largest leather bound books were a 
recent find at a local consignment store for
 the unbelievable price of $5.00 each!!!



Here you can see the faux evergreen
that I have in the zinc planter



The pumpkin is made of reeds
and the cute deer head - it's story coming up!




In the front I placed a flat piece of  driftwood
with a yummy wicker wrapped candle 


 
 I have no idea what the 'stuff' around the candle is
Sister #4, brings it home by the bag fulls when she 
 visits her daughter in St. Petersburg, FL

Apparently, it grows wild in bushes down there!???
They come in little balls - my bag got stepped on-
over and over again!!!
Mine now resembles torn up birds nests
but, still cute!



On to the little shallow drawers
They all have the original watch part labels
How sweet is that?



  I am using the four drawers to store my miniature pictures...



 some vintage jewelry...



 some religious items...



and, some more miniatures



Remember the deer head?



Susan at Between Naps on the Porch shared hers with us 
at Metamorphosis Monday a couple of weeks ago
She even gave the links to Horchow and a coupon code
I could not resist!
Mine got here last week

I hope all of you have a great week!
Rhonda
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14 comments:

  1. Oh Rhonda...this piece is AMAZING girl!!!! I'm so in love with it and totally understand why you are smitten! The sewing machine base is just PERFECT!!!! Don't you love it when stuff like that comes together? Your fall display is gorgeous...wishing you a wonderful week ahead! hugs and love, Dawn

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  2. Rhonda better make sure your doors are locked at night if not you may have something missing!:) LOVE this piece to pieces lady!!!

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  3. Rhonda,
    Such an awesome piece, and how cool that the sewing machine base was the perfect piece to hold it. I'm lovin' that beautiful zinc planter with the evergreen. Happy to see that you will be coming to the party this week. Hard to believe that we ALMOST won that game last time (the guys played really well...hope they can keep it up).

    Blessings,
    Linda

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  4. That chest makes for a great little table, Rhonda! What luck that you had that base from the outside table AND that you thought to use it for this chest. Love the vignette you put together on it, too.

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  5. Very nice! You are the 2nd blogger I've run across that used a sewing machine base for something else! Great idea! I have one in storage but the oak case for the sewint machine is in rough shape. Your watchmaker's cabinet is great! I do like the zinc planter too.. and the deer head fits in perfectly! I love your table vignette! Great design!

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  6. that absolutely looks like it was one piece with that base. amazing, and i love the vignette.

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  7. Love the cabinet Rhonda! And the base is just perfect for it! You should have brought your slab or marble to your booth at EmmaKates! Someone might have bought it....ME! I have always called that stuff Spanish Moss....it hangs down from the trees in Florida...so pretty. Love the deer head. If I bought one, my husband would not understand why I don't let him hang a REAL one in my house.... :(

    Lou Cinda

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  8. Gorgeous cabinet and your vignette looks fabulous on it! Very pretty!

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  9. That cabinet is wonderful!!! I too have a love for them. And how smart you are to finish it with wax to preserve the history of the piece. And the base....how perfect!!! Wow, a unique statement with the vignette!!!

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  10. What an excellent combination--and clever use of a frame you already had. The watchmaker cabinet is wonderful on its own (I have cabinet envy). But, mounting it on the sewing machine base is genius and charming. I'm sharing this on my Once Upon a Firefly FB page. And pinning it!

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  11. Rhonda of course I love the new chest and your deer is fabulous!!! I want one now. Thanx for coming to the party lady!

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  12. love the cabinet and how perfect that it fit like it was made to sit on that machine base.....love your vignette above it....very nice grouping....and isn't that stuff from Florida Spanish Moss....I used to bring it back when we would go to Charleston....it falls from the trees there....

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  13. Be still my heart! I LOVE it!! And trying not to covet. The sewing machine base is a perfect fit and the whole vignette is perfect. I know you smile every time you walk by.

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  14. oh my gosh what a find and what a fit, it looks amazing.This is my first visit here, I have joined as a follower, amazing photos, thank you for sharing this today!

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So happy you are here - I love your comments!