Antique Spool Chests

Shortly after I got married,

my mom and dad  

delivered a load of antiques

to our first home 

in Evanston, Illinois.

One of my most favorite things

that they brought to me 

was this old spool chest 

that my mom had found 

when she owned an antique shop 

in the 1970's and 80's.

I love letters and numbers

on old advertising pieces.

These 

 furniture-quality cabinets 

were specially made 

to display simple household items

reflecting a time

when companies took extra care

to present their wares 

in a handsome fashion.

This piece was no exception.

I would love to have more

of them in my house.

Take a look at the side panels.

 

I have seen many spool chests

in recent years. I wish they

weren't so pricey!

This is a version

like one my mother's dear friend

Ida owns. It is a round glass

cabinet showcase that holds the colored

spools of thread. I love this style!

I also saw a similar antique display case

a couple of years ago at an estate sale.

It was a large general store cabinet 

for spools of ribbons.

It looked very much like the one below.

The ribbon spools sat in rows along these shelves
that were made of wooden rods.

Here is a brief history 

on American spool chests

(as taken from Reference.com)

in case you 

would like to know more.

Gorgeous image I found on Pinterest 

"Sewing spool cabinets were first manufactured in the 20th century after the sewing machine was invented in 1844. As a result women no longer had to spin their own cotton, companies started manufacturing spools of thread and selling it in general stores. The spool cabinets were manufactured to display the spools of thread so that customers would have an easy time finding exactly what they needed. 

Some popular manufacturers were Geo A. Clark, Potter, Heminway, and J.P. Coats. Each company came out with lavish and unique designs to try and out do the competition. Because of this most cabinets were made from the best quality wood such as walnut, oak, or maple. If you are looking to buy an antique spool cabinet make sure you buy from a specialist who will give you a written statement of authenticity. Some things to look for when searching for an antique spool cabinet are original lettering, pressed composition panels on draw fronts, original surface, and original hardware (there have been books published that show the correct hardware for each kind of spool cabinet)."

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 Do you have any old advertising

display pieces in your home?

Tell me about it!

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