drawers galore, a tiny hutch & more

by | Nov 29, 2016 | All Things Home, Antiques, Favorite Finds | 46 comments

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I don’t know about you, but I love things with cubbies and drawers.  I know I’m not the only one who feels that way, because those pieces tend to be pricey when I do find them!  But, when I was out shopping before Thanksgiving, I tripped across these…

They were such a good price that I made my mom stand with them while I fetched a cart!  I was paranoid someone would snatch them before I could.  It turns out they were just brought in that day, so I hit the booth at just the right time.

I’m not really sure what to call them, but they were obviously handmade for hardware…nuts, bolts, nails, screws, etc.

I love the little handles and the labels on some of the dividers…

Someone took a lot of time on these pieces and they were well used and loved.  I’m not 100% sure what I’m going to do with them, but they need a good cleaning for starters and then I’ll go from there.

I also found this adorable tiny hutch!  It’s doll-sized, but it would be perfect for jewelry, desk storage, even for spices or small jars in a kitchen.

The detail around the door and drawers is my favorite part.  It needs glass and it’s missing a knob…just a little TLC to get it up to snuff.

Lastly, I found this awesome Christmas tree stand!  I didn’t notice all of the stumps on it until I got it home.  It’s just a neat piece!

The space for the trunk is pretty small, so it’s definitely for a tabletop tree.  And I guess the tree wasn’t watered?  Any ideas on that?

The boys had the day off of school today.  (It’s a thing in rural PA that the first day of hunting season is a school holiday.  Hunting is such a big thing in this area and not just for sport.  For many families, it’s an important food source. )  Anyway, I took advantage of the low key day and stayed home to start decorating the house for Christmas.  I’m putting up two Christmas trees this year and I got them both set up, but not decorated.  I also put out most of the fresh greenery, but I still have a few rooms to do.  I’m looking forward to getting it all done and photographed, but that will take me a few days.

Here’s a preview of the living room tree, though…

More to come…

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    46 Comments

    1. Cassandra E

      You must have just hit publish! There’s no comments yet.
      I love your little finds.
      I do believe your tree stand is an old umbrella stand?
      It is gorgeous though.

    2. Andrea

      I’m wondering if your tiny hutch was actually a salesmans sample? It is adorable ?

    3. Kari from Meadowview Farm

      I believe the tree stand is for a feather tree…they came in many sizes, some for table top.?

      • Lori

        That’s what I believe it is too. Found some like it when I googled it. 🙂

      • Bambi Mayer

        That was my guess, also. Hard to find vintage feather trees in good condition–I guess they just didn’t survive attics and basements, but their bases did. I have one (not vintage) that I bought 10 or so years ago and I love it. It will never go in the attic!!

    4. Brenda

      Your little drawer cabinets sure are cute. They would be great for a beaders stash or perhaps for a crazy quilter who have lots of small treasures that they collect. Maybe people like them because they are organized treasure chests!

    5. Karen Keller-Eyer

      In LOVE with the little cupboard ! Your house is already inspirational and beautiful and you just got started decorating for Christmas ! xox

    6. Linda @ q is for quandie

      Two things; first I just have to say that I kind of love your tree as is with no decorations. Is that crazy? It just looks so simple and perfect in your beautiful room. Second, the very first piece I ever painted in milk paint was a tiny hutch (yes, I call them hutches too) very similar to the one you picked up. I painted it in Eulalie’s Sky and I still have it. I display my collection of vintage floral frogs in it. Lately I’ve been thinking about repainting it white though. Seeing yours in white really pushes me in that direction.

    7. Tanya

      Love your tree in the crock! How did you get it to stand up?

    8. Deborah

      How do you get your tree to stand up in your crock?

    9. Stephanie

      I love the drawers! For my tree this year, I wrapped wire around small white birthday candles and have them all over my tree. Didn’t need anything else. I can totally picture that on your tree in the living room.

      • Joanne B

        Sure hope you don’t intend to actually light them!

    10. Debbie Parker

      Re:Christmas tree stand: probably no water reservoir because in those days trees were only put up a few days before Christmas or not until Christmas Eve.

      • Cindy Rosborough

        This is what I was going to say, also. In the old days they didn’t try to keep the tree for weeks, just for the few days surrounding Christmas.

        • Ruth

          My Mother told us years ago that when she was little they put the tree up on Christmas Eve. It had real candles. They gathered around the tree after dinner, lit the candles and sang a couple Christmas carols while “pa” held a bucket of water. Then the candles were put out. That was the celebration. You could see it in her eyes how she loved those memories.

    11. Joan

      . I have a similiar tree stand that I use with a candle in it!

    12. Lee

      When I was a child (I’m nearly 70) we put our tree up on Christmas Eve and took it down on New Year’s Day. No water. I don’t think anyone watered Christmas trees back then. I love that little hutch!

      • Paula Runyan

        I agree that would be the case. We also have a very old cast iron tree stand. I think it’s bigger than this one though. However, it used to be we kept holidays confined to their time period, instead of overlapping 3 at a time. When a tree is going to be up only 6-7 days it did not need much.

    13. Angela

      I love your little drawers! I just inherited a similar set from my grandfather. My great-grandfather made them out of fruit crate wood to hold bits and bobs of hardware. So happy to have the story that goes with mine. I would love an idea for how to display this in my home.

    14. Susan

      Your stand doesn’t really shout Christmas to me so I was wondering if it might be a stand for a pole with a bird feeder or a whirlybird gig on top, to be used on a patio or deck where the pole couldn’t be “buried”.

    15. Lisa Silfwerbrand

      Ohhh those drawers just make me swoon 😉 LOL What is it about drawers… I love having all of those little spaces to organize!! Great find again <3

    16. Penny

      I think the tree stand is possibly an outdoor umbrella stand.

      • jean f

        with the “hole” to catch the point of the umbrella, and catch the drips as well?

        or perhaps put a dowel in and top with a dome shape to hold the wig or hats>

    17. Jeanne

      I also love the hutch…perhaps it was a salesman sample to show the item…and I love the un-decorated tree…it just says Christmas…oh, and the tree stand…love the relief work. Guess I love it all. 🙂

    18. Diane Christy

      Personally, I’m a sucker for anything doll or child-sized. And cubbies….my heart is beating faster!

    19. Paula Runyan

      The older the tree stands, the smaller the base is. Christmas trees were traditionally put up on Christmas Eve, and taken down by the New Year.
      A quick image search shows many stands like and similar to this one, some having elves on them as well.

    20. Sue

      I believe your stand was for a feather tree. They had a metal pole and goose feathers were tied onto ‘branches’. The pole would have fit down in that opening then a wing nut tightened to hold it secure.

    21. Barbara H.

      You find the best things! I wonder if the hutch is upside down? I’m not sure why but I always want doors to out from the right side with the hinges on the left. Maybe because I’m right handed? The drawer pulls on your stack of drawers are wonderful. Thank you for sharing so much so often.

    22. ginny

      I was thinking feather tree also.

    23. Lynda

      Maybe it’s not a tree stand but a stand for an outdoor umbrella in the garden? Back in the day the pole was probably made from wood? Just a thought!

    24. Becky

      Love your treasures. Looking forward to seeing more of your Christmas decorations. Your tree stand may have been for a feather tree since the opening is so small but also my mom talked about when she grew up in the 30s and 40s you cut your own fresh tree and put it up on Christmas Eve and kept it up for the twelve days of Christmas so the tree was fresh enough without water. Most people decorate before Thanksgiving and take everything down the day after Christmas these days.

    25. Trudi

      I’m curious as to your approach in cleaning the old drawer piece. What do you use to clean something that old and if used for tools and hardware, that dirty? It’s lovely and will be well worth your time investment. I’m sure you have a system down for cleaning something like that. Just looking at it overwhelms me just a bit…..so many little places to clean!

      • Amelia

        Yes, I’d like to know if you’ll paint the drawers or just scrub. I have similar cabinet and it just doesn’t look clean, though I’ve scrubbed . Fear painting will cover its “character”!

      • Jane

        I was wondering the exact same things.

    26. MaryLisa Noyes

      I love the nook and crannies. I have a few of these treasures in my craft room and it just makes it a happy place. The tiny hutch is precious. I have them all over my house. They make me think that a child a long time ago used some great imagination in their play. Fabulous finds! Could tree trucks ever come that skinny to fit that wonderful stand? Awesome!

    27. Gretchen

      I believe your stand is for the Victorian feather tree also. You could also use one of those aluminum trees in it ! I just love your little cubbie drawers. I have a huge old chest with tiny drawers that used to hold the letters used in type setting ! It is perfect for my Button Collection and every tiny square section or some are larger sections are filled with various types of buttons from all different kinds of material! I just love it!

    28. Jan Cohen

      Umbrella stand is a good guess but it might also be for a flag…

    29. Carole Prisk

      Good job picking! Love all you found. You are lucky to live where you can turn up so many cute things. Of course it helps to be at the right place at the right time and to have a good eye.

    30. Teresa Freeman

      I think the tree stand would have been for a feather tree. So cool!

    31. Kristyn Baker

      I can’t wait to see your Christmas decor photos! It always looks lovely!

    32. Naomi S.

      Wonderful finds, Marian! Those sets of drawers look like a lot of work, though!

      I have a small child-size cupboard/hutch piece that I’ve been wondering what to do with. It is just bare, rough wood now with a few stenciled leaves. Not attractive at all. Now I think I may paint it white like the little hutch you found. Then I will distress it a bit and see what I think. Maybe some new knobs. Thanks for the inspiration!

    33. Cynthia Hogue

      Perhaps the tree stand was for a feather tree that didn’t need watered??

    34. the uncommon pearl

      I especially love the cubbies case. It just screams a place for vintage buttons!

    35. Sandra Songin

      Yes.. how did you get the tree ? to stand in the crock?

    36. Melissa Gooch

      I love all of your finds!! I’m curious how you will clean the drawers.

      Thanks,
      Melissa

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