Swedish marriage cupboard c 1835

This antique European marriage cupboard is painted a deep green that sets off terracotta red panels on the front and sides. Flowers are hand-painted across the panels and a border of dark dots runs around each one. The arched cornice is picked out in black and rises to a small carved crest at the center. Two tall doors hang on iron hinges and close to a pair of shaped keyhole plates, while the date 1835 is painted across them either side of the keyholes. The angled front corners carry their own red panels and a single drawer runs along the bottom above a black base.

The paint has softly rubbed back at the edges and around the doors where hands have reached for it most. That wear only adds to its charm. Marriage cupboards were traditionally painted with the year of the wedding, so this one has been part of a family's story since 1835. It would bring real color to a bedroom but would look just as good holding linens in a dining room.

Dimensions:
W: 49.25" D: 22" H: 73.5"