Rustic Blue Painted 19th Century Romanian Step Back Cupboard Cabinet

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A primitive 19th-century Romanian step-back cupboard retains its original blue paint and the number '88' in the middle of the … Read more A primitive 19th-century Romanian step-back cupboard retains its original blue paint and the number '88' in the middle of the cornice, likely indicating the year it was made, 1888, shortly after Romania gained its independence (1859) and consolidated itself as a kingdom in 1881. There are additional numbers or initials on each side that are too faint to interpret. Other paint colors include a soft sage green on the scrolled cornice, a teal green on the cabinet door, and faded red planks on the inside of the cabinet back. Scrollwork flanking the topmost shelf and scalloped baseboards create a unique side profile. The cabinet door on simple hinges closes with a primitive, rustic iron latch. We suspect it might have been added later by the paint and wood variation.

This cupboard is constructed almost exclusively of wood peg/dowel construction. The exceptions are a few flathead screws on the cabinet hinges and a few forged nails along the top back edge that might have been added later for reinforcement. This pre-industrial construction has held up extremely well, and the cupboard stands solid, sturdy, and functional.

Six shelves total provide a ton of storage. From bottom to top, there are two shelves behind the cabinet door, which are 10 3/8" deep. An open shelf above the cabinet and the countertop shelf (which includes a plate rack) are both 11" deep. Two more shallow, step-back shelves with plate racks are 4 5/8" deep. All shelves are 31" long. See less