A questioner said:
Lockable Cabinet with ashtray and small brass cups. Belonged to my grandparents, found while cleaning out our house. What is it for?
More from the owner:
Guessing it’s from 1950s approximately. The ceramic piece is marked “made in England ” but no other marks or manufacturer labels are present. Thanks in advance for your help!
Some of the people opinions on it:
1. I believe it is a tobacco / smoking cabinet.
2. This is an English Gentleman’s box. The Jar is for Tobacco, the small drawers are for playing cards, and other accessories. It’s worth something to the right buyer. In good condition, it could sell for a couple thousand.
3. My Grandfather had a jar almost identical to that one for his pipe tobacco
4. It looks like an Asian set up for making tea.
5. Looks like a tobacco cabinet
6. It’s a smoking cabinet. The ashtray doesn’t fit. Well, it does physically, but it’s not original. The holes behind the ashtray are for pipe stems. If you remove the ashtray, there is a gutter or single indentations under the holes for the pipe heads. It probably had a silver ashtray in the style of the cups originally.
Edit: Looking at the link americathon shared, the piece in the middle should be a tobacco container, not an ashtray.
7. It’s a English oak smoker’s cabinet. The centre holds a jar of loose tobacco. I have a similar one from the early 1920s.
8. This looks like a colonial tea box. I’ve had a couple over the years. It’s lockable, because back then tea was really expensive. Most tea boxes have a lock of some sort.
Not entirely sure if that’s what you have.. but it looks like it could be.
9. To me it looks like a shaving station. Holes in the back for razors and other tools to slot in, a pump bottle thing for water, one of the dishes would have cream in it, another would have aftershave or something similar.
10. Just take it to a proper antique buyer. If it’s tobacco, hold onto it, but I think it’s a tea set. One for green tea and one for black tea. It’s worth good money if a tea set. Your olds probably put the ashtray there, but it isn’t part of the set.
11. Guessing it’s from 1950s approximately.
I think it earlier; 1920’s possibly and perhaps even late Victorian.
12. I could be wrong but it looks like an altar of sorts.
What do you think? Let us know in the comment!
Read Also: Does anyone know what this is? It is over the basement door in our 1890’s home.
While cleaning out an old house, especially one that belonged to grandparents, it’s not uncommon to stumble upon intriguing artifacts that seem to hold stories of the past. One such find is a lockable cabinet, adorned with an ashtray and small brass cups. The mysterious nature of this piece of furniture raises the question: What was it used for?
A Glimpse into the Past
To understand the purpose of this cabinet, it’s essential to consider the context of the era in which it was likely used. Items like this often served multiple functions and were designed to cater to the lifestyle and social customs of their time.
The Cabinet’s Features
Lockable Mechanism: The presence of a lock indicates that the cabinet was used to store valuable or private items. In households of the past, such cabinets were common for safeguarding important documents, money, or personal belongings.
Ashtray: The ashtray suggests that the cabinet was used in a setting where smoking was prevalent. In the mid-20th century, smoking was a common social activity, and dedicated smoking areas with convenient features like ashtrays were typical in many homes.
Small Brass Cups: These cups could have served multiple purposes. They might have been used for measuring or serving small amounts of liquid, possibly spirits. The material, brass, was chosen for its durability and resistance to corrosion.
Possible Uses of the Cabinet
Bar Cabinet: The combination of an ashtray and brass cups strongly hints that this cabinet could have been part of a home bar. Home bars were fashionable in the mid-20th century, where families would entertain guests with drinks and cigars. The lockable feature would keep the liquor secure.
Smoking Cabinet: Another possibility is that it was a smoking cabinet, a piece of furniture designed to store smoking paraphernalia such as pipes, tobacco, and lighters. The cups might have been used to hold matches or small tools for pipe maintenance.
Multi-purpose Storage: It’s also feasible that the cabinet was a multi-purpose piece, used for storing a mix of valuable items and social accessories. The lock would protect important items, while the ashtray and cups catered to social gatherings.
Sentimental Value
Beyond its practical uses, this cabinet is a tangible link to your grandparents’ lifestyle and social habits. It represents a piece of their daily life and the era they lived in, providing a unique window into their world.
Preservation and Use Today
If you decide to keep the cabinet, it can be a charming addition to your home, serving as a conversation starter and a piece of vintage décor. It can be repurposed creatively, perhaps as a unique bar cabinet or a stylish storage unit, preserving its history while adapting it for modern use.
In conclusion, the lockable cabinet with an ashtray and brass cups is more than just an old piece of furniture. It is a relic from a bygone era, embodying the social customs and daily life of its time. Whether you choose to preserve it as a family heirloom or repurpose it for contemporary use, it stands as a testament to the rich history and cherished memories of your grandparents.