Last Sunday, a friend and I, along with hundreds other early bird shoppers, headed to the once-a-month Alameda Flea Market at the former Alameda Naval Air Station near Oakland, California. 
The big purchase of the day was a grungy 30-drawer antique hardware cabinet dated 1914 and begging to be filled with crafty supplies, embellishments and components. It’s still in pretty good shape with most every piece accounted for. 
Each drawer has a little brass handle pull and brass plate encased glass front panel showcasing the multiple compartments inside.
To load it into my Suburban, we needed to remove all of the drawers due to the weight. How exciting to find that the cabinet maker had signed and dated his work on the back of one of them and rubber stamped his name on another. Thank you Mr. C.E. Rice!
The cabinet is going to need a bit of structural reinforcement, a minor fix here and there (note the broken piece below the bottom left drawer), a really good cleaning, and when I find the nerve… a nice coat of paint. Yes, I know that makes a lot of you cringe to think I would do such a thing, but I have to tell you, had I found it already painted, I would have been tempted to pay double. I started a Pinterest board on painted vintage furniture as inspiration for my upcoming studio furnishing projects. So far you’ll find mostly bright colors on my board, but I’m still contemplating. I would love to hear your ideas for freshening up this piece. What color would you paint it?… if you had the nerve to paint it. The cabinet dimensions are 4.5′ high x 2′ wide x 20″ deep.
It is gorgeous, Cathy!! What a find. I would paint it turquoise and, while Mr. C.E. Rice might not approve of the color, I am sure that Mrs. Rice would!
I have no qualms with painting wood…..can you hear my husband cringing in the background? Poor guy is a woodworker and loves FLW and the Prairie style. He married shabby chic, peely paint me! LOL I would paint it black…..but then, I paint most everything black. I LOVE black…..well, and hot pink, wild orange and lime green…..which, btw, all go really well with black!
The signature is just the coolest thing. Imagine his surprise if he knew his writing lived on and was being broadcast on the internet! Wow, I love that kind of stuff.
If you’re asking… I would clean up the wood on the exterior and paint the interior only…..a jadeite green because it’s a classic color. Very nice piece.
That will be perfect for so much of what you use/collect/find Cathe, and I say do whatever comes to your wonderful imagination…just looked at your painted vintage furniture board…there’s some great inspiration there already. Hope you will post the new improved version when you get it done. I love antique things, but believe in making them suit the ‘now’, so I say…paint away!
Wonderful purchase! I would definately side with SuzyMcQ, comment #4. Keeping the original beautiful wood and jadeite green inside is a perfect choice. Sure wish we had big Flee Markets like this in my neck of the woods.
I wouldn’t paint this one – the wear on it is a large part of the appeal, I think. Painting the inside would be interesting, though, with the glass fronts.
I love this cabinet and the fact that it is signed by the maker! I’m one of the cringers – I would not paint this already beautiful with gorgeous patina piece. My philosophy is unless the finish is in really bad shape, keep it the way it is. It makes me almost ill when I go to a store and someone has painted a vintage piece. I guess different paint strokes for different folks.
oh my-what a wonderful piece!!!! Personally, if it was mine, and all of my other pieces were going to be brightly painted, I would leave this one alone. It has a lovely aged patina to it, and I can’t even imagine painting all of those dividers.
what a find! quite jealous here in MN….
okay…just a totally off the wall comment – but I have Claude E Rice – Cabinet Maker in a furniture factory – located in the 1930 Census in Wabash, IN. His father was born in England. It might be an interesting story.
Not off the wall at all! That’s way more than I could find in my search, thank you!!
Thanks for contacting me Debbie. What an interesting couple of “dots” you’ve connected! Well as thorough an investigation as could be made, reveals that cabinetmaker, Claude Rice, led a fairly uneventful, middle class life. He was born in 1875 here in Wabash, Indiana, graduated high school in 1895 (that in itself is an accomplishment for the 1890s), married Ona ?? and they had one son, Robert. His life occupation was cabinetmaker, and he would have been in the prime of his career when he trimmed and signed Cathe’s cabinet in 1914. Claude’s father, Edward, was from English-speaking Canada, and married Margaret Catherine Griffith from Ohio; they had 2 sons, Charles (who died at age 25) and Claude.
Claude is buried in Falls Cemetery with his parents and brotrher. You can follow this link to see a photo of his grave.
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=46881958
The only other thing I can offer is that Cathe’s cabinet would have been manufactured at the Cardinal Cabinet Co. If interested in more history of that company and to provide better provenance for Cathe’s cabinet, I suggest you contact the wonderful folks at our Wabash County Historical Museum via their website http://www.wabashmuseum.org.
Wabash is an unusual little town — very artsy and cultured with a HUGE emphasis on historic preservation. So … on behalf of the good people of the birthplace of Cathe’s cabinet, our 2¢ is — restore it, please don’t paint it.
Definitely paint it! I think it would look good in a subdued off white, as well as something funky and fun like orange…What an amazing find though – well spotted!!
Wow! What a wonderful find! You have a real treasure, especially since it’s signed. I know you’ll have a good time filling it up!
I’d start with the interior and live with that a while. Then, if it’s still yelling, “paint me!” I’d do the rest. The furniture is ours. We are not the furniture’s. Having said that, I have vintage pieces that paralyze me.
) I keep saying I’m going to go to the Alameda Flea Market and have yet to do it. I’ve lived in the Bay Area (or thereabouts) for 50+ years and STILL haven’t done it. Granted, couldn’t have very well done it as a wee lass.
Cathe…this piece is PERFECT for you!!!! I know you must have enough goodies to fill it right up too ~ and I think it will be gorgeous painted!! Great find sweetie, xxoo, Dawn
Oh how I love this terrific find!! I myself would paint the most inner parts of the drawer a very light orchid or purple, with the frames around each painted a nice tangerine color and then for all the “cringers” I would leave the rest of it as it is. Let us know and see pics of what you decide!
I would paint it an antiqued red, with cream interior.
What a cool find!
What a great find. When we find a piece, sometimes it needs repair, or ‘shoring up’ or a piece added to make it stronger because of wear and tear through the years. After the addition, it then must be painted. It would look strange without the paint. Almost like adding trim to hide a flaw. I also agree with the comment that said we own the furniture, not the other way around. Maybe we will see you sometime there at the Flea Market. We sell in T6 every month, but I know, it is a very large place.
For a practical start – I would paint the interior spaces a white or light color so that it will be easier to SEE your supplies. Especially since the spaces look a bit long. But I’d pick a blue you like for the outside. I like the Annie Sloan lighter blues “Provence” and “Duck Egg” but the dark turquoise from your Pinterest board is beautiful!
I would paint the outside emerald green like the dresser on your Pinterest board, or maybe a slightly duller forest green. I would leave the inside as is, just lightly sanding down the parts that are discolored. It is a beautiful cabinet!
Green…I see green. I wonder how it got from Wabash IN to CA? Love it, I would love to have it also. Have fun getting it ready to use.
I’d paint it aqua, but then again, that’s my favorite color. Maybe red?
Great find! I can’t wait to see it after the paint. I know you will choose a beautiful color.
Oh-my-gosh, what a treasure! I couldn’t wait to get the sandpaper and glue out and start repairs. I picture the inside a creamy buff white, and the outside a beautiful brick red. Do post pictures when you get it restored!
Oh! What a find! Yeah, I’d paint it. Something cool, I think. Teal? Turquoise? Soft pink?
J.E.A.L.O.U.S. You are so lucky. Shot a picture when it is all filled, I cannot wait to see it.
Oh wow!!!!!!!! This is incredible, I just adore it! And yes, it needs bright fun colored paint! I just started following your board on pinterest for it!!!! I so wish someday to hit one of these sales….:)
Looks like it needs a good dose of wood glue. I think painting it black would frame your craft/art supplies nicely. Thanks for the pinterest board. I am also wrestling with the paint question. I have a set of 1940′s maple bedroom furniture that belonged to my parents. My husband spent almost 8 hrs with a belt sander and hand sanding to remove all the grime and layers of paint on just one piece of furniture. The wood looks so good I am torn about what to do. Thanks.
Martha Stewart “Sea Glass” I keep looking around my house for things I can paint this color…it may just end up being the walls
and that cabinet…AWESOME!!!!
I’d paint the larger flat areas with blackboard paint (whatever color works) so you could use chalk to write notes or label certain columns of drawers. I painted one long Ikea sofa table matte taupe with a blackboard paint top and enjoyed using it. Watch out, painting furniture can be addictive!
Oh and if you can stabilize the base more, adding casters! That way (if you are like me) you want to move the cabinet around your room, you can do so, without asking for help from Mr. Wonderful or the Wonderful kids.
If it were me I would rub the outside down with some Old English and give the inside a clean coat of white paint. To give it some color use your accessories that you will store in there. Just color block them and it will scream fun and whimsy!
What a spectacular find! I love thinking of what to do with things like this – but get a great deal of pleasure thinking about how it has already been used.
what a delightful cabinet – definitely a lucky find! Such an ideal solution to craft supply storage.
Colour…mmmm – I think I would opt for a lovely deep warm red. Perhaps a colonial red, then distressed over it a bit with a dark brown?
Ooooh, love your cabinet find!! I would just clean it up and leave it vintage. I’ve linked to your Pinterest board. Here’s another one you might like that I saw: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/8725792998178631/
Great piece!!! What color????
Jealous!! That piece is beautiful!
Love your drawers!!!!! Just beautiful and so functional too!
Not to be rude, but how much does such a piece go for in sunny CA? I got a similar piece years ago, but it didn’t have the numerous cubbies yours has – it was also in much worse shape – I had to hire a carpenter to replace some wood pieces and glass fronts. I paid $100 for the piece and then another $250 for the carpenter’s work. Mine turned out to be made of mahogany wood and came apart in several pieces (like flat files) so that made it possible to get through my front door. I had planned to paint mine too, but haven’t gotten to it yet.
I have to say, I like the cream inside and would either clean up the outside with a bit of oil or wax and keep the brown or possibly stain/paint black or gray if you want a lighter look. I like the grungy hardware as is and don’t think that will look as nice with a painted color. (Just my opinion!) If you plan on filling it with all sorts of things, that will be where your brighter colors will come in – the neutrals of the cabinet will showcase your cool stuff.
I’m a big drawer fan and have several projects in the works – don’t fool yourself – yours is a huge one! (But, I can’t wait to see what you do with it – I know whatever you decide will be fabulous!) You know, this is good motivation to finish mine and post the before and after – here is my ‘before’: http://bricolage-julier.blogspot.com/2010/07/diamond-in-rough.html hideously sponge painted! I have managed to remove all the paint and just have to wax the bare metal and reattach the hardware.
Good luck with yours – can’t wait to see your ‘after’ post!!!!!
Wonderful! I’ve always hoped to find some sort of haberdashery cabinet myself. Like lots of other commenters I rather like the colour it is now but it does need a good wash ands brush-up. The drawers would look fabulous lined with some pretty printed paper though – but I fear that would be a huge and fiddly task.
What a great cabinet! I have been coveting one myself and I would do a shabby chic paint job in co-ordinating colors with my home decor (or shop).
Cathe -
I. LOVE. THAT. CABINET! (but I love YOU more so I won’t be envious that you got it!)
Maybe someday soon I’ll be able to go the Alameda Flea Market and find something amazing like this for myself.
Gorgeous. Looking forward to see how it ends up.
(I am so envious right now. Stuff like this never turns up at flea markets where I live and costs and arm and a leg in antique shops).
Wow! What an awesome find!
Don’t paint the outside! It’s got character this way…
A good wash and some furniture polish and it would look amazing.
Wow, what a great find! I am jealous! I just painted my armoire Aubusson Blue and used a dark wax to antique it and I am in love with the color. It’s a little darker in real life than it shows on my screen. http://www.toadinaboat.com/2012/06/07/paint-party-friday-10/
I’d say you can’t decide on a color until you’ve seen it all cleaned up. Once it’s had a bath you’ll probably see what color it should be. . . but i’d guess you already have a color in mind. I’d probably go with a white on the outside (distressed) and a nice subtle blue (robin’s egg? aqua?) on the inside.
I have been trying to find that exact type of cabinet for ages. I will say congratulations, but please note it’s with a touch of jealousy
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Isn’t it wonderful when you actually have the history and can “know” the man in a small way that made that unique piece….it change show you feel about it….I would be honored to own a piece like this….of course being into genealogy it would make my day!
Sandy @ 521 Lake Street
Gorgeous cabinet with a wonderful history. I do hope you do not paint it… or haven’t painted it.
Please. do. not. paint. it. It is wonderfully distressed AS IS. It went 100 years without being painted. Don’t!
Sorry ladies, but I have to say no to painting it. I love natural wood colors. Maybe stain it a deep cherrywood color