Antique Revolving Hardware Store Cabinet

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c. 1890s; (likely) Butler Manufacturing Company - Kansas City, MO

Antique cast iron revolving hardware store cabinet based on the … Read more c. 1890s; (likely) Butler Manufacturing Company - Kansas City, MO

Antique cast iron revolving hardware store cabinet based on the patented design developed by Henry Westphal, a young German immigrant working in a Joliet, Illinois hardware store. Conceived as a solution for organizing and securing small hardware inventory, the cabinet features a series of rotating circular bins stacked around a central shaft. Each tier revolves independently, allowing nuts, bolts, and other small parts to be accessed through the open center section while keeping inventory separated and organized. The sectional design also allows the cabinet to be disassembled and reassembled by a single employee, with each tier sliding onto the central support post.

This example represents Butler Manufacturing Company's licensed adaptation of the Westphal patent, incorporating decorative cast iron detailing and lattice-front bin panels in place of the glass-front compartments found on some earlier versions. The result is both a highly functional piece of store equipment and a striking example of late nineteenth-century industrial design.

Shows wear consistent with over a century of commercial use including paint loss, oxidation, surface scratches, scattered chips, and age-related patina throughout. Cabinet retains smooth revolving action and presents well overall. This piece does not bear any breaks typical in the cast iron bodies of similar Westphal cabinets.

30" Diam x 48" H

Please note that in order to ship and move this piece it must be disassembled. Each ring-shaped bank of drawers can be removed from the center axis by lifting it upwards off of the top.

JM - 102622 - 105233
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