Hi friends! I am SO EXCITED to share with you our early 1900s hoosier cabinet! I will be giving you a tour of our hoosier as well as sharing how I am going to be using it.
Early 1900s Hoosier + Tour
I have wanted a hoosier for years… I love the Folk Victorian Era and the simple style that goes with it. Most of the research I have found states that the Folk Victorian Era fell between 1880’s – 1900, possibly even went into 1910 in some areas (article here).
If you know anything about hoosiers, you know that they were created around the late 1800s, meaning they were beginning to gain popularity throughout the Folk Victorian Era. I find it fascinating that many of the furniture pieces that I have loved for years (without knowing anything about the year they were created) fall within that era and style.
So.. What is a Hoosier?
A hoosier is a type of kitchen cupboard designed to store kitchen staples such as flour and sugar as well as hold other utensils for baking and cooking. Prior to the mid 1900s, kitchens were generally unfitted, and built-in cabinetry wasn’t heard of. People used furniture pieces to store kitchen products in, which is essentially why the hoosier was invented. Hoosiers came in many different colors and styles and were the “bee’s knees” of the time.
My Criteria for a Hoosier
Like I said before, I have wanted a hoosier for years which means I have had plenty of time to contemplate what kind of hoosier I wanted. My criteria was quite strict, so I knew it was meant to be when I found mine.
I didn’t want to spend a ton of money. Hoosiers can be expensive, and generally they run anywhere from $400 to $2000+ depending on the condition. Most of the ones I looked at in my area that met my criteria ran around $600+. I didn’t want to spend more than $300, so that posed a problem from the start. I also wanted one that was unpainted, and I wanted the flour sifter and tambour door to still be intact.
Most of the ones that I looked at that checked all my boxes were possum bellied/pot bellied, meaning that the whole bottom half was rounded.
While I think these are sweet, I really wanted one that had at least one deep cabinet. So, I searched and searched until my mom sent me a link to one on facebook marketplace. I ended up messaging the woman selling it; however, the one that was listed was pending pickup. But, she happened to have another one that she was possibly going to sell. She messaged me a day or so later after deciding to sell and only asked $200 for it because of the broken tambour door. It was perfect for me, and I snatched it up as quickly as possible!
My Hoosier
It is an early 1900s (the previous owner believes it was made in 1901) Tillman Brothers Hoosier and has never been painted. I LOVE that part of it is possum belly- that would have held potatoes- and that the other side has a deep cabinet.
All the hardware is original except the handle on the lower cabinet door. The previous owner wasn’t sure if the wood work top is original. It most likely isn’t because most hoosiers had an enamel top; however, some of the earlier models did have wooden tops. Either way, I reallyyyy love the wood!
You can also see that the tambour door (roll up bread box door) isn’t pictured here. I have it and the original hardware, but it needs to be restored before reattaching.
The flour sifter is quite possibly my favorite part. I love the little window to see into it!
This pull out cutting board has my heart!
It also came with the original spice rack and cook book holder. I plan on storing all my canned goods and canning items in here. Plus, I would love to bake some on it.
I hope you guys enjoyed today’s post! Let me know down below if you have a hoosier of your own and if you do, what you use it for!
