Dog Kennel Dresser-Welsh Cupboard

Q: What is a “dog kennel dresser?”

A: The dog kennel dresser” started as a type of Welsh cupboard. In Wales a large dresser that displayed and stored plates, pewter and utensils in racks was in style in the 18^th century. The lower section was made of drawers and cupboards. These were kept below the stairs for storage in mansions, but in farm houses, they were used in the living room. The dresser was a large, valuable piece of furniture. By the 1850s, a new look gained favor. The lower part of the dresser was made with cupboards on each side and an open space in the middle. The space probably got the name dog kennel because a dog could crawl in to sleep. But often a large tureen or pot was stored in the space. By the 1890s, it was sometimes used to store a sewing machine. The Welsh dresser is still popular and copies have been made since 1915 that could be mistaken for antiques.