Antique Hoosier Cabinets

The concept of a 'convenient kitchen' evolved in the early twentieth century, when the scope of 'hired help' started diminishing in Europe and America. People began moving towards cities, living in small bungalows or cottages with small kitchens. The small size of kitchens made it impossible to have a separate pantry and storage area. Thus, housewives greatly felt the need for a convenient storage where they could store and organize things. Sensing the need of the hour, 'The Hoosier Manufacturing Co.' came up with the idea of kitchen cabinets, commonly known as the 'Hoosier Cabinets', in 1898. They became an instant hit as they could be easily fitted in the kitchen and also stored a variety of things.

Features of Hoosier Cabinets

Hoosier cabinets were wooden, made from oak or pine wood, and were 2 ft deep, 4 ft wide and 6 ft high. They mainly had three sections - upper, lower and the middle pull-out work space. The upper section comprised several small compartments with doors. It had a larger compartment at the bottom with a roll-top or tambour. The upper and lower sections were connected together by metal channels, upon which the pull-out work space rested. The pull-out work space could be used as a cutting board or a sliding counter top. The lower section had one large compartment on one side and several smaller ones on the other.

Besides the three main sections, Hoosier cabinets also had several utilities like drawers to store utensils and shelves for arranging dishes. They also had racks to store tins and organize spices. Other facilities that came with the cabinets, were flour bin sifters and a tin hopper, that could be used without removing it from the shelf. Glassware manufacturers produced a special range of glassware, especially for Hoosier cabinets. It included coffee and tea canisters, a salt box, and spice jars. There was also an in-built coffee-bean grinder and a bread-bin too.

Though, the cabinets were manufactured in plain wood, the design was compact and the quality was such, that they could be used for years. The design of Hoosier cabinets underwent changes so as to complement the contemporary trends in the kitchen. The later versions of Hoosier cabinets were more sophisticated and sported a fancy look. Many manufacturers even offered a matching set of containers and jars to go with them.

Thus, Hoosier cabinets soon became a necessity for almost every house in America. The purchase could be made by placing an order in the Sears catalog and the delivery would be mostly by railroad.

Value of Hoosier Cabinets Today

Today, Hoosier cabinets are considered as an antique piece of kitchen furnishings. Even the matching containers fetch a very good price. Hoosier cabinets have a great demand in the antique market, from people who wish to decorate their homes in the Victorian style. They can be found in antique shops, in parts of Texas and middle west.

Though, Hoosier cabinets have become extremely rare and expensive, antique aficionados go to any extent to get that one authentic piece of Hoosier furniture. Those who have inherited the classic cabinets and are looking for accessories or replacements for hardware parts, can order them from websites that deal in antiques.