Q: I’ve never been able to determine what this piece was used for. It has been called a smoking stand, a sewing stand, or a shaving stand. I don’t know its age. It was in our house when we bought it in 1961. There is a paper label on the bottom of the top drawer that says “Rockford Frame & Fixture Co., Rockford, Ill.” The paper is embossed “Carlson.” Can you help me identify this piece?
A: Rockford Frame & Fixture Co. was in business in the early 1900s. Ed Carlson is listed as a designer at the company in a 1904 furniture publication. The company ran an ad in 1907 listing its products as “Buffets, China Cabinets, Combinations, Gents’ Wardrobes, Shaving Stands, Ladies’ Dressing Tables, Ladies’ Dressing Chairs.” The company filed for bankruptcy in 1917. Your piece might be a shaving stand, but we don’t know what the bottom pillars are for. Does anyone know what this is?
My first thought also. The wood and styles are different and the scalloped edge looks “added”. The top reminds me of a side cabinet that would have been raised on thin scrolled legs.
Is there a tin lining behind the doors? The pic makes the wood tones of the piece look like they don’t match. (The top drawer/door portion from the base & feet.) If this is true in person it might be a ‘marriage’ piece. Meaning it’s a couple different pieces put together. The ‘pillars’ look like spools to me. Size/measurements might help.
This may become and interesting item, it would be nice to get more pics of the inside,bottom,etc.
Could be a way in which the height of the stand was adjusted.
I cannot say for sure, but If I was shaving at a stand with a base like that, I would certainly use the base for shining my shoes. This way, I would not have to bend as much.
I wonder if it has to do with the sturdiness of the shaving stand and also to reach the person shaving. I can’t tell if those places on the on top of the lower table is a place to hold things are if they go with the legs. It may be a unique piece that they designed it like that. That is my opinion but someone else may know why is it made that way.