food safe (pie safe) tin ID

potsherd_creek

Jr. Member
Jan 12, 2021
42
70
Virginia
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
This is a hand punched tin panel from a pie safe, likely 19th century, not sure if pre or post Civil War era. I have not seen this panel design before. I can make out what appears to be a Star of David, a flower and 3 hearts at the bottom. I suppose local crafters sometimes came up with their own design, although it must be some of that same design out there.
 

Bernitup

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Dec 8, 2016
74
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Central Florida
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Just a personal thought here…but I would call it more of a six sided star than the Star of David due to the position of the star point. It may seem that I’m being picky, but the position matters and there is a single point up and a single down….as above so below, etc et al.
I have seen flowers and hearts together and five/six pointed stars by themselves, but never a combination of all those designs in one...throw in the leaves and a triangle border and I have never seen one quite like that! Definitely believe a lot of these designs were based on popular designs of the time and usually represented simple things in life… The combination of all these different design elements makes me think it was a gift and either one for sheer love or it was made out of/for remembrance of someone…. Just my thoughts….good luck!🙏🏼👍🏼
 

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potsherd_creek

Jr. Member
Jan 12, 2021
42
70
Virginia
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Thank you, that is very interesting. Pictured here, I had the knobs off, doing a very light restoration.
I have not seen that many with the drawers topside. A light wood key hole diamond pattern.
food safe.jpg
 

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potsherd_creek

Jr. Member
Jan 12, 2021
42
70
Virginia
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Just a personal thought here…but I would call it more of a six sided star than the Star of David due to the position of the star point. It may seem that I’m being picky, but the position matters and there is a single point up and a single down….as above so below, etc et al.
I have seen flowers and hearts together and five/six pointed stars by themselves, but never a combination of all those designs in one...throw in the leaves and a triangle border and I have never seen one quite like that! Definitely believe a lot of these designs were based on popular designs of the time and usually represented simple things in life… The combination of all these different design elements makes me think it was a gift and either one for sheer love or it was made out of/for remembrance of someone…. Just my thoughts….good luck!🙏🏼👍🏼
My father one time, took a pie safe that was in very rough condition to get restored and the only thing really salvageable was the tin, so the carpenter made a safe and used the tin panels. It is my thought that the tins of this safe may have been used from an earlier one from the same family. The lines are off, some of the stars and flowers are on opposite sides on a few panels although they do not alternate uniformly and are not flipped, you see all raised design when are looking at the front.
Maybe, maybe not, seems like someone thought a lot of them. I do plan on finding out about the antique tinsmithing, sometimes they did work by lantern. The cabinet carpentry is very well done for a non-factory piece.
 

Bernitup

Jr. Member
Dec 8, 2016
74
97
Central Florida
Detector(s) used
Ace 350
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
My father one time, took a pie safe that was in very rough condition to get restored and the only thing really salvageable was the tin, so the carpenter made a safe and used the tin panels. It is my thought that the tins of this safe may have been used from an earlier one from the same family. The lines are off, some of the stars and flowers are on opposite sides on a few panels although they do not alternate uniformly and are not flipped, you see all raised design when are looking at the front.
Maybe, maybe not, seems like someone thought a lot of them. I do plan on finding out about the antique tinsmithing, sometimes they did work by lantern. The cabinet carpentry is very well done for a non-factory piece.
It is rather interesting in design…with what I can see… The front, especially with the legs/feet, kind of looks as though it may have originated in or around Tennessee. I don't know enough to differentiate furnitures origin, but it is quite similar to some I have already seen that have come from Tennessee. It is interesting that the back legs/feet are different than the front…very well could just be to add appeal to the front. I can’t see them clearly enough…although it does look like similar design elements used in the three panels I can see, but the top and secon have a different layout, which is not totally uncommon and more akin to something that was made for use by the maker….experimenting…using something the family wanted or something mom liked and wasn’t too concerned about symmetry or mirroring images etc ??? You could be right about the panels…stamped tin usually found a way to be repurposed or reused… Its possible that the tin was done at different times or was an “as time allowed“ project for someone and thoughts and ideas tend to change or evolve as time goes on.
Always entertaining to do the research and learn about new and old things!😬👍🏼
 

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