Hey folks,
Here is one picture and link to many more of a sideboard a friend of mine just purchased:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeremy812

There is a remnant of what they think might be a retailers label but nothing else.

I think it has some very nice features including the tulip theme throughout, the copper pulls, and the corbels front and back.

Any idea of who might have made it? Anyone seen anything similar?

to me it looks british. i have seen similar things attributed to Liberty and Company of London.

Very English/British but Shop of the Crafters did similar stuff.

I'm the new owner of this sideboard (the one that took the pictures). I've looked over every single inch of it for any identification/markings and found nothing (except for the small witness shadow on the back where it looks like a paper label once rested).

Curiously, I managed to find a similar sideboard picture in an antique guidebook. The base was completely identical to this one. However the top hutch part was a different configuration. It had an arched middle mirror section that was open rather than enclosed. The matching enclosed glass sections on the top were moved to the ends. The case part on the top was slightly taller and had wood sides on the ends with cutouts. Frustratingly, the one I found in the book did not have a manufacturer identification either, but was dated ca. 1910. Obviously whatever manufacturer it was, had different top hutches they would use with the same base model for customer orders.

I would post a scan of the one from the book, but I don't want to infringe on any copyright issues.

Scan away - I do it all the time. Make reference to the book and you might actually help them sell a couple. I don't think its a big deal, the forum is full of scanned pictures.

Similar sideboard

Here is a scan of the picture. Unfortunately I don't have the guidebook with me at the office that it came from, so I don't have the exact title to credit. The photo was credited to Mark Moran, who is the editor/contributing to many furniture guides.

I should add that my sideboard has metal pulls/handles though. I don't know if mine had casters or not originally, since I did not look at the bottom of the feet for any telltale caster holes. Unfortunately it is now loaded full of Jadite china and I'm not planning on moving/unloading it anytime soon now that it is in place (and quite heavy).

Good grief guys, that buffet is a dead ringer for anything designed by Charles Rene Macintosh from Scotland.If he didn't design it, then it was influenced by him.

I agree that it is British but it has a sense of the Art Deco to it. That stained glass just looks so similar to motifs that Macintosh has designed.

Is there some inlay at the top of the posts holding up shelf? I can't tell from the picture. There appears to be some carving (floral or leaf motif) in two of the bottom vertical cabinets. If I could see that better, I could help you more.

It has such nice propotions and lines.
The choice of hardware is exellent for this piece. The curved feet and the tiny "foot" that rests on the ground just seems to be some sort of a hallmark of English Arts and Crafts. They just don't seem to like the straight, bold legs common to American Arts and Crafts.

I think that it is a wonderful piece.

Bev.

Here's similar glass/doors in Shop of the Crafters stuff. Lots of design cross-over happening over the 'big pond', back in the day. The design lines really blurred with some companies, and many of the best designers in the States were from Europe and many of the factory owners from the States travelled to Europe for ideas and inspiration.

Is Shop of the Crafters in New York?

Bev.

...from my data base notes:

Shop of the Crafters (Oscar Onken Co.)

• Cincinnatti, OH, 1904-1920, then just Oscar Onken Co. 1920-1931
• general good to high quality diverse line known for inlays, cutouts, and German/Austro-Hungarian style, referred to as “Furniture of Austrian Design”, also Art Nouveau inspired stained glass; also lamps
• founded by Oscar Onken, chief designer was Paul Horti of Budapest who previously worked for Charles Limbert
• Shop of the Crafters name dropped in 1920 and then just Oscar Onken Co. to 1931, which produced clocks, display cases, and small painted cabinets after the apparent phasing out of larger furniture