A Martha Washington sewing cabinet

When my parents visited our new home last this fall, they brought with them my Christmas present--an absolutely beautiful Martha Washington sewing cabinet. I didn't know anything about this type of cabinet, so I started doing some research.

 

Martha Washington sewing cabinets were popular during the first half of the 20th century. I've read that they spiked in popularity during the depression when furniture makers were looking for smaller, less expensive pieces to sell.

They were modeled after popular federal-period sewing cabinets dating around 1800-1815. It is possible that Martha Washington owned one--but I couldn't confirm that.

A phot of a Federal sewing cabinet from The Antiques Directory.

 

I found the 20th-century versions in the Sears Catalog. The 1928-29 catalog advertises one for $6.35, but it must have been popular. By 1931, Sears was offering a bargain version for $7.55 and luxury versions in solid walnut ($17.75) or mahogany ($17.65) that cost about $267 in 2014 dollars!

An ad from the 1928-29 Sears Catalog.

 

These tables generally have three drawers in the center front, with rounded pockets on each side that flip open, revealing deep storage for yarn and fabric. My cabinet differs in that the pockets rotate out to reveal a deep pocket capped by a short one. This leaves the table top a solid piece and a perfect place for my great great grandfather's lamp!

 

Because my cabinet is unusual, i wanted to know who made it. A manufacturer's sticker on the bottom reads "made by SHEETS MFG. CO. Wapakoneta Ohio." The manufacturer's number is written in crayon on the bottom: #234. While I was looking online for information, I found that the owner of cabinet number 235 is in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

 

There is very little information about the Sheets Manufacturing Company. In desperation, I called the Wapakoneta library, but even they couldn't find much. I did find a reference that states that the company was started in Botkins, Ohio, a few miles from Wapakoneta, in 1903 and specialized in furniture for export. I have not been able to verify this information, but the company name does show up in lists of furniture distributers.

 

There are a lot of photos online of furniture that people have acquired with the Sheets Manufacturing Company label. People like it, and interestingly enough, the rotating pockets show up on other pieces--such as desks. It must have been a signature feature.

 

I wish I could have found out more, but that is not going to stop my loving this piece of furniture. It is the perfect size for storing the projects and needles, threads and patterns that I work with during evenings in front of the television. Thank you Mom & Dad!

 

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Bats in the attic and a tortoise in the loft

This summer when we were in the process of buying our house and long before I saw it, I began pestering my husband about the attic. The house was built in 1850 and I was excited to see what secrets the attic might contain. Unfortunately Roger had only poked his head up there and the real estate agent didn't take a photo. I had to wait to see the attic until I finally got to the house in mid August, and even then it was a few days of cleaning and organizing before I pulled down the hatch and climbed the ladder to look around.

 

The attic doesn't have floor boards and the space between the beams is filled with insulation. Since I didn't want to take the chance of falling through the plaster ceiling, I stood on the ladder while my eyes adjusted to the dimness, calculating how much storage we would have after laying a floor.

 

Then I saw them. There were half a dozen common brown bats hanging from the vent at the peak of the roof. How the house inspector missed them, I don't know, because they were quite visible. Rather than look around for more, I quietly descended and quickly raised the ladder. Ironically I had finished reading Dracula the day before, so I wasn't at all thrilled to see our freeloaders. I called my husband at his work and he arranged to have the bat man out to the house later that week.

 

Bat man found a total of nine bats. He attached a one way door to the attic vents to encourage the little guys to find a new home. I hope they will still be neighbors even though we haven't yet had time to buy and hang a bat house. They are beautiful to watch flying around at dusk and do a good job eating the bugs.

 

Just a few weeks before I met our bats, I was following a blog called The Tortoise Loft. Sue featured an adorable bat derived from a pattern book first published during the reign of Charles the 1st. Here is her finished piece, stitched on linen with pearl cotton in seed, feather and split stitches.

Photo courtesy Sue at The Tortoise Loft http://www.tortoiseloft.com/

 

Who would guess that the pattern is from 1632?! It is a treat to visit Sue's blog to see how she conceived this project and adapted an old pattern for a modern interpretation--no tricks involved!

Happy Halloween!

 

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