Cupboard

There are many household items that we may not give two thoughts about and then there are others that have to coordinate or be of a certain style or period. I guess you could say that I’m a pretty utilitarian person so I love when something can serve a dual purpose as a functional and decorative item. Cupboards are one of these dual purpose items and a great example can be found at the Museum from the Virgil and Thelma Linam Collection.

What exactly is a cupboard? Well, if you go the very literal route looking at the name it is a board that you place a cup on for display or storage. That seems a little too easy but describes the function pretty well. Early on we would have recognized these items as more of a sideboard than cupboard, but in the 16^th century the “press” came about and was recessed with doors and shelves according to word-origins.com and looked more like the cupboards we know. These presses eventually evolved into modern cupboards, armoires, and wardrobes. Armoires and wardrobes were completely closed, according to finewoodworking.com, while cupboards remained partially open. Cupboards must have doors or else it might be confused with a chest-of-drawers or the like. The cupboard in the Museum has drawers on the bottom and doors on the top. The partial opening comes from the punched tin on the top half. The tin is punched in geometric patterns and makes the cupboard more decorative without having to use what’s inside as the decoration. Cupboards can be used to store just about anything from pies (the punched tin area would have been a great place to cool a pie while keeping it safe) to cups and plates.

During pioneer times, a time when your possessions consisted of items that you transported from the East or items that you made yourself, something like a cupboard that could be both decoration and functional was a great asset. Come and check out this wonderful piece of history from the Virgil and Thelma Linam Collection in the South Gallery at the Western Heritage Museum Complex and Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame.