Bama Planter

( As of October 2018, over 5,000 people have read this post on my sugar chest.  This post represents my own experience and is my own opinion on the subject.  If you want dozens and dozens of pictures of real sugar chests, go to Pinterest.com and put "sugar chest" in the search box...you will be amazed at how beautiful and varied they are.  My Pinterest page has over 550 different chest photographs shown.)     Sugar Chests were built in Kentucky and Tennessee, with other examples from some of the closest of areas in surrounding states, and were made from ca. 1790  to 1840.   I have heard reports that some were made or used in GA, NC, SC, and in New Orleans.  A recent reader from Lynchburg, Virginia reports that he has owned and sold documented chests from North Carolina and Virginia. He also says there are rare documented chests made in New England.  They were purchased by upper class people to hold sugar loaves and br...

A lovely couple who are filling their home with Empire bought my Mint Julip Cabinet ( seen in an earlier post).   I had decided to sell it because it suddenly seemed that everywhere I went, I was discovering grand pieces of furniture that I normally would not find and would not come up for sale again.  I found this 1820 Federal Chest in Marion, Alabama and liked its unusual and authentic shape.  The pulls are wrong  ( added about 1890)  so I ordered some that are Federal style.   This stepback cupboard was at a shop just south of Birmingham. The lady was a primitive lover and her booth showed it.    This piece is in original red paint.  The little white knobs are wrong so I replaced them with better ones made of pine.  The inside has been given a coat of blue/grey by someone in the last twenty years and that is fine since it reflects light much better than a dark interior would . I...