1800s Lamp Black Buffet

When I first saw this piece, I was both horrified and intrigued. She was in such bad shape. But despite that, you could tell that this was a special piece. They simply do not make furniture like this anymore. It’s solid. It’s got great bones and the design of it is spectacular!! I believe it is from the late 1800’s. At one time, there was leaded glass in the two side arches. When I saw it, that glass was shattered and beyond repair. Part of the back was busted out. The claw feet that once adorned this piece were broken off and gone. The hardware was missing along with the back arched piece behind the upper drawers. The wood was warped and chipped and sometimes missing. The drawers were coming apart and didn’t open or close and neither did the cabinets. I honestly told my friend, it’s too far gone for me to do anything with it. But…she said she (and DB) thought I wasn’t giving myself enough credit. They both said “you can breathe new life into it!” I won’t lie… this one was HARD!! I had to call DB in for help…several times. I only hope someone will love this piece as much as I did. It truly was a labor of love. So much “new” went into this ‘ole girl. New paint, new wood, new back board, new back plate, new metal for arches, new hardware, new drawer liners!!! But despite all the new, I tried very hard to retain that old world charm. I hope I achieved that. Painted in my favorite black…Lamp Black by General Finishes and distressed to keep that old word feeling. Sealed in a flat out flat topcoat.