A Mid-Victorian Painted Pine Sideboard c.1860

Origin: English
Period: Mid-Victorian
Provenance: Unknown
Date: c.1870
Width: 50”
Height: 37.5”
Depth: 15”

The mid-Victorian pine sideboard of pleasing proportions, the rectangular two-plank rustic top above two panelled doors opening to reveal a shelved interior, the carcass retaining a beautifully time-worn green paint surface, now softly muted and chalked through decades of use, with the recessed panels washed to a pale, almost limed tone, the whole raised on later hairpin legs, giving the piece a subtle lift and a gentle mid-century tension against its Victorian bones.

The condition is appropriately rustic and entirely in keeping with its character. The painted surface shows age, abrasions and areas of wear throughout, all contributing to its appeal rather than detracting from it. The interior is plain and functional with fixed shelving. The white painted knob handles are later replacements, though remain in keeping, whilst the top bears the expected scuffs and marks of a working life; a surface that tells its story without apology.

Victorian painted cupboards such as this were staples of the working kitchen, scullery or pantry; practical storage pieces often repainted over time as fashions shifted or surfaces tired. Unlike highly polished mahogany case pieces, these cupboards were never about display; they were about use. It is precisely this utilitarian origin that gives them their quiet strength today. The later hairpin legs introduce a considered contrast, subtly repositioning the piece for contemporary interiors while leaving its essential character intact.

A soulful, textural storage piece, equally at home in a pared-back kitchen, beneath a row of artworks, or anchoring a hallway.