Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

KITCHEN

Date

1910

Materials

OAK, ALUMINUM, GLASS, BRASS, COPPER

No. Pieces

10

Height

177.2

Length

101.8

Width

72.3

Description

SERIAL #490922. "TRADEMARK THE HOOSIER SAVE STEPS. KITCHEN CABINET REGISTERED HOOSIER MADE BY THE HOOSIER MFG. CO. NEWCASTLE, IND. TRADEMARK THE HOOSIER SAVE STEPS KITCHEN CABINET REGISTERED" ON NAME PLATE ON TOP CENTRE OF CABINET. "H.M. COPAT'D ON COPPER PLATED STEEL HANDLES ON CUPBOARD DOORS. "H.M. CO." UP SIDE DOWN". TOP SECTION CONTAINS 3 PANEL DOORS AND 2 GLASS FRONT DOORS. PANEL DOOR COVERS FLOUR BIN AND SIFTER PAINTED WHITE. 2 GLASS DOORS ENCLOSED CUPBOARD, PAINTED WHITE WITH ONE SHELF. 2 PANEL DOORS, ONE WITH SHELF AND ONE WITH 2 METAL CONTAINERS AND RACKS ENCLOSE, LARGE CUPBOARD, PAINTED WHITE, WITH 5 PIECE RACK. LOWER SECTION OF CUPBOARD CONTAINS ONE LARGE PANEL DOOR AND 3 DRAWERS. DOOR HAS 2 RACKS, ENCLOSES CUPBOARD, WITH REMOVABLE SHELF. LOWER DRAWER IS ALUMINUM LINED BREAD CONTAINER WITH SIDING COVER. SHELF DIVIDING LOWER & UPPER SECTIONS HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH WHITE AND GOLD ARBORITE. BREAD BOARD BELOW ARBORITE SHELF. TOWEL RACK, PAINTED WHITE WAS POSSIBLY ATTACHED TO ORIGINAL DIVIDING SHELF. CARD INSERT INSIDE TOP PANEL DOOR ARE LIQUID AND DRY MEASUREMENTS. SEVERAL PATENT DATES ARE EMBOSSED ON CERTAIN PANELS. NOTICE FOR CLEANING AND CARING FOR CABINET ON PAPER LABEL ON BACK OF CABINET (PARTIALLY TORN OFF). "NOTICE! THE BASE AND TOP OF THIS CABINET IS MARKED ??81".

Subjects

FURNITURE

Historical Association

FURNISHINGS

History

*UPDATE* IN 2010 NICOLE HEMBROFF, COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT, CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF PALLET RACKING. HEMBROFF INTERVIEWED MAMIE GIBSON’S NIECE, DORIS BALCOVSKE REGARDING THE CABINET. SEE BELOW. BALCOVSKE RECOGNIZED THE ARTIFACT AS LOUISA MARIE GIBSON’S (HER GRANDMOTHER) KITCHEN CABINET. SHE SAID, “IT STOOD IN LOUISA’S KITCHEN ALL THE YEARS I CAN REMEMBER. IN THOSE DAYS THEY DIDN’T HAVE BUILT IN CUPBOARDS. I DON’T KNOW HOW THEY GOT IT.” ACCORDING TO BALCOVSKE, THE WHITE COUNTER SURFACE IS NOT ORIGINAL TO THE CABINET. SHE THINKS THE ORIGINAL COUNTER MIGHT HAVE BEEN METAL WITH BLUE EDGING. LOUISA WOULD HAVE USED THE CABINET TO HOUSE DISHES, UTENSILS AND TEA TOWELS. THE WHITE SHELF WOULD HAVE SERVED AS A COOKING OR BAKING SURFACE. SHE SAID LOUISA MADE GREAT COOKIES. SHE FOUND HER GRANDMOTHER’S COOKBOOK WHEN SHE WAS CLEANING OUT HER AUNT MAMIE’S HOUSE AFTER SHE WENT TO EXTENDICARE IN ABOUT 1991 (MAMIE PASSED AWAY IN 1994). SHE WANTED TO TRY TO MAKE HER GRANDMOTHER’S COOKIES BUT FOUND IT IMPOSSIBLE TO DO. SHE LOOKED AT THE RECIPE AND DISCOVERED THAT LOUISA HAD NOT LISTED THE QUANTITY OF EACH INGREDIENT THAT WENT INTO THE COOKIES. BALCOVSKE WAS DISAPPOINTED THAT SHE WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE COOKIES SHE REMEMBERED. BALCOVSKE REMEMBERS HER GRANDMOTHER AS A GOOD COOK BUT NOT A FANCY COOK. SHE WAS A HOMEMAKER. IT IS LIKELY MAMIE WAS GETTING RID OF THE CABINET (DORIS COULDN’T REMEMBER WHAT WOULD HAVE REPLACED THE CABINET) AND CHRIS GIBSON (MAMIE’S BROTHER) ENCOURAGED HER TO DONATE IT TO THE GALT. CHRIS WORKED WITH GEORGE WATSON AND GEORGE MCKILLOP WHEN THE MUSEUM STARTED UP IN THE 1960S. FOR A MORE DETAILED FAMILY HISTORY SEE P19930031001 – DRESS FORM

Catalogue Number

P19672941000

Acquisition Date

1967-11

Collection

Museum

Less detail