XII
CELLARETS
THE cellaret is the most peculiarly Southern piece of all furniture. It came into use following the advent of the bottling of wines; and the majority of specimens that have been found are in Chippendale and Hepplewhite styles, with an occasional Queen Anne or earlier example to be noted. They were made complete
Empire cellarets and liquor case
in themselves with a drawer, a mixing slide, and spaces for eight, ten, and twelve bottles; and this characteristic piece of furniture in its various forms is found in great quantities throughout the South, and rarely elsewhere. It is an item often overlooked by collectors.
The word cellaret, in its real meaning, refers to an article of furniture used for cooling wines; but it has come to designate a liquor case or wine cabinet. This use is erroneous, but it is found to be the word most widely accepted, by collectors and dealers, to refer to the different types of wine cabinets as they appear.
At no time was the Southern gentleman freer in his hospitality than in the disposal of his drinks. In South Carolina, Madeira, wine and punch were the common drinks, where, as Hewat says, few gentlemen were without "claret, port and other wines." Everywhere it was the same.
PLATES
PLATE I. Stretcher-Base Cellaret—Walnut. (North Carolina—c. 1690-1700). An example of the cellaret reaching back into the seventeenth century. This is of the earliest type, and very rare. Notice is directed to the turning as compared to Plate I, Chapter XIII. This date as given is not too early, as cellarets were made occasionally in England at this date. (Property of Mrs. J. G. Hayes).
PLATE II. Top—Queen Anne Cellaret—Walnut. (North Carolina—c. 1710-1740). Little doubt as to the use of this piece as a liquor chest or cellaret is felt, as it is in the original condition, with partitions intact. The early cellaret was built low as compared to those of later periods. The cabriole leg is shown here with a foot of modified Spanish type. (Property of Mrs. J. J. McDevitt).
PLATE II. Bottom—Queen Anne Cellaret or Sugar Chest—Walnut. (South Carolina—c. 1720-1750). This piece of later date than the one illustrated at top, may have been a sugar chest adapted in later years as a cellaret. The decorations of fans in the front, and the slipper-shaped foot, are interesting features. These types are rarely found. (Property of Ralph P. Hanes).
PLATE III. Chippendale Cellaret—Walnut. (South Carolina—c. 1760-1770). This cellaret illustrates the fact that Southern workmen were followers of Chippendale, even to the Chinese influence in his design. On the front of this piece are employed raised scrolls similar to those to be found on various cupboards. The owner's initials, inlaid, the mixing slide on the side, and the shaped cross-stretcher and cut-out corner brackets make this piece unique. (Property of Mrs. J. A. Haskell).
PLATE IV. Chippendale-Hepplewhite Cellaret—Walnut. (Virginia—c. 1770-1780). The influence of both Chippendale and Hepplewhite is in the making of this liquor chest. The Hepplewhite is responsible for the fluted legs, while the corner brackets and square legs chamfered on the inside, belong to the Chippendale style. The mixing slide without the drawer is found from this time until 1800. The legs are fluted. This fluting is not to be confused with the term reeded, which applies to the half-round raised decorations found on legs of later furniture. (Property of Joe Kindig, Jr.).
PLATE V. Hepplewhite Cellaret—Mahogany. (North Carolina—c. 1780-1800). An inlaid mahogany piece, with the square, tapered legs characteristic of the Hepplewhite and Sheraton style, which shows a cellaret that was made in quantity throughout the Southern states. The quality was governed by the skill of the workman attempting the piece. The ovals of inlay with the urn and flowers are to be noted. (Property of Carroll H. Fowlkes).
PLATE VI. Hepplewhite Cellaret—Walnut. (Virginia—c. 1790-1800). This Hepplewhite cellaret, one of a pair found about thirty miles from each other, and owned by different families. They were not made as a pair, but came from the hands of the same workman. There is a slight variation in size between them. Attention is called to the inlaid oval on the front of the chest, a type of inlay used on many pieces throughout the South and a clever, though humble imitation of the ovals found on elaborate pieces. The black parts shown in the oval were made of colored putty and cut out after the oval had been put into the wood, with a gouge. They were then filled with colored putty instead of being made of wood. This was often done, too, with the more elaborate pieces. Thus the workman was given opportunity with a variety of decoration that could be made, as a rule, only with curved sides. (Property of Mrs. George L. Street).
PLATE I
PLATE II
PLATE III
PLATE IV
PLATE V
PLATE VI