Bidspirit auction | DECORATED CORNER CUPBOARD

DECORATED CORNER CUPBOARD - Signed John Spitler and Henry Bahl[?] and dated 1851 or 1857, Ohio or Pennsylvania. Two-piece construction, the upper section with two 8-pane doors, the lower section with two paneled doors. Retains its original faux mahogany grain paint, and with old cream paint on the interior. 85.5” high, 51” wide. The collector?s receipt for this cupboard identifies Spitler as working in Adams County, Pennsylvania. Other equally vibrant faux mahogany grained cupboards are known from that area, including a corner cupboard attributed to Mount Pleasant that sold at Keno Auctions (New York), May 2010, lot 70. Genealogical research has identified a single John Spitler (1819-1898) that is the right age in Adams County. He was the son of Jacob (1782-1874) and Mary Diehl (1793-1884), and the family lived in Mount Pleasant. Interestingly, however, the entire, including John, moved west, settling in western Montgomery County, Ohio by 1840. If this is the John Spitler who signed this cupboard, it would mean that the cupboard was made in Montgomery County, Ohio. Spitler is listed in all censuses as a farmer, which is typical of rural furniture makers during the 19th century. Research could not firmly identify a Henry Bahl[?] in either location. The best candidate is Henry Buhl (b. 1820), who was a Prussian-born day laborer in Dayton in the 1860 census. By 1870, he was working in the iron business. Condition: Good; paint bright, original glass, period or original Bennington pulls, exterior door hardware replaced/missing