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We confess we have a great interest in amazing pieces of storage, it’s hard to know where to start. A good storage piece is not just a practical item, it can often set the scene in a room. We scour Europe for the standout pieces, pieces of scale and character that stand in a room and shout out their history.
Drawers and More Drawers
We have a gentle obsession with drawer units of all shapes and sizes, from apothecary cabinets to haberdashery, practical pieces with a history that can be given a second life in a contemporary interior. Lockers are a second weakness and we are well known for stocking pieces from some of the famous producers such as Forge de Strasbourg, Strafor and Gantois. Our stock changes fast and we also source specific pieces for private and commercial clients.
We recently divided up our website categories to make it easier to shop:
As retailers these pieces just have an fascination for us and we usually carry a large selection. Often the classic glass cabinets and taller drawer units are referred to as haberdashery cabinets, but they were also widely used by tailors and clothing merchants. Beautifully made and often carrying a makers mark they are incredibly practical and unique pieces of history. The iconic maker is Pollards but there are so many more.
Most of the really large-scale banks of drawers either come from old shop fittings or workshops and often the most sought after are the smaller drawer apothecary cabinets that were used to store herbs and ingredients for chemists. Banks of drawers from shop fits tend to be higher quality in their construction, slightly more refined, and usually made by professional cabinetmakers. Workshop drawers in contrast were usually made by the owners or workshop staff and although they are often less polished, they are often made with beautiful timbers simply because the workshop often had timber more readily available. We love the scale of these pieces, the history that they carry and often the amazing handles and drawer name tags that give a historical clue about their use.
The holy grail is the French maker Strafor, the brand of the Forges de Strasbourg. Strafor was one of the largest makers of sheet metal lockers, their heyday was in the 20’s and 30’s. Lockers were an essential item in all workshops, factories and even offices as they were used to securely store workers personal belongings.
Whilst we have a weakness for larger scale storage, we usually carry a good selection of mid century smaller scale cabinets and shelving.
As champion of the forgotten maker our chairs come with a history and provenance and many of the makers have rich stories of their industrial past. Storage has to be practical so our workshop makes sure that all drawers run smoothly and that all of our pieces are practical.
We love to hear from fellow vintage fans. Telephone +44 (0)1256 760 044, or paul@merchantandfound.com.
Unit 5
Fosters Business Park
Old School Road
Hook
Hampshire
RG27 9NY
