Buffet pix, because NwMtGardener asked so nicely

[thistlebloom]

The whole thing.

Drawer detail

Center piece

Back rail and foot are at the top because I pushed "post" before I was done. But you get the idea I guess.

 

[thistlebloom]

Okay, screwed that up, but I'm not going to go back in and edit it.....

 

[Carol Dee]

OMG that is stunning. I love the golden oak and pretty carved details. It is very unique? Is it an old piece? Is it a family piece. I really LOVE it.

 

[NwMtGardener]

WOW. wow. I really love the BEEHIVE FEET!!!! that is sooooooooo cool.

 

[thistlebloom]

Thanks! Yeah, it's about my favorite piece of furniture.
It's not a family heirloom. Well, not yet anyway. But I suppose it actually is now.

I bought it about 35 years ago.
There was this new business my mom had read about in the paper. The company would go over to Europe and buy estates. Then when their warehouse was full they would open for the weekend. Friday was preview day, and Saturday and Sunday you could purchase.
Mom dad and I went for the first time on a Saturday and not knowing how things were purchased we wandered around admiring everything. We noticed some items had cards on them with the price and an ID number. It dawned on us that to purchase a piece you took the card and went to a cashier with it.

We had stopped to admire this buffet, but someone had put the drawers in the wrong holes, so it looked like something was wrong with it. Dad straightened the drawers out, and asked if I was going to buy it. I didn't have the $95 so he said he'd buy it and I could pay him back. Done! Sold! I was so excited to have such a pretty piece of furniture.
And so, here it is today.

We had great fun while that business was open. We'd go every month and just wander up and down the aisles looking at all the wonderful old furniture pieces.

 

[Carol Dee]

What a fabulous FIND. LUCKY YOU. I do love those beehive like bun feet!

 

[NwMtGardener]

Cool. Really interesting that it came from Europe, I wonder what country or heritage. And it definitely gets family heirloom status in my book, since you wouldn't have it except for your Dad, what a guy!

 

[TheSeedObsesser]

For some reason I was expecting food pictures.

Very nice buffet, Thistle! I like the floral patterns on it.

...Really interesting that it came from Europe, I wonder what country or heritage...

I'm going to guess either Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Northern Europe or Southern Europe. I could be wrong though.

 

[thistlebloom]

Seedo, I suspect you thought of food because you are male. Haha.

And I believe you're right on the geographic origins of the buffet.
As in piece of furniture buffet, not "huge spread of food" buffet.

 

[journey11]

It's beautiful! I love the story of how you came by it. A steal at only $95 too. We have a furniture auction house near here that I love to go in, but never get the chance now that I have kids in tow. I don't imagine they get anything from Europe, but you can buy higher quality, solid wood pieces there for a good price.

Does your buffet have any date, city or company information printed on the underside or back? It would be very cool to know more about its history. Maybe not an original, but it does appear handcrafted and I doubt anyone else in the US has one like it.

I have an antique armoire that my MIL purchased long ago that sat around in her garage until she gave it to me to put in a yardsale. It was in bad shape, not worth much, but I was able to refinish it to use for extra storage in my kitchen. It had an address written on the inside of one of the doors and I was able to see a pic of the house it came from on Google maps, a place in OH a couple hours from here. I thought that was neat.