Featured A Basement is a Basement is a Basement....Isn't it? (Tour)

OK folks, time to head downstairs. Our basement is about half finished, and nice and cool in the summer. But it's still the basement of an old house; originally it was just a big unfinished space with a concrete floor and walls. Well, we've done what we can.....

At the bottom of the stairs is a French mahogany settee ca. 1830; you may have seen it before. To it's left is a mahogany smoking stand stamped "1942" with an English banquet lamp on top ca. 1870. The photos are by Kansas City photographer Kevin Sink. But what's that on the right?

It's a French walnut bidet, ca. 1830! The previous owner put food displays in it for dinner parties. Solid as the day it was made. That's a large piece of porcelain; God's mercy on whoever breaks it...

Next are a couple of walnut marble top center tables ca. 1860-1870. Abraham Lincoln posed for a campaign photo next to a table very much like the one on the right. It wasn't THAT table of course. Both are attributed to New York cabinet maker Thomas Brooks. That's a Mark Hopkins bronze on the left titled "Peace no More." The lamp has never been electrified and was used up to the present. The rug's a recent Karastan.

Hey, there's an overstuffed chair! Next to it is a marble-topped table that was abused by a local family for generations. Pieces of it were knocked off, burl panels were gone, the marble was stained, the casters were gone. It was ready for the dump, and Ms. G heartily hoped it would go there. Well, in the days before the Brown Furniture Depression it paid to restore a nice piece, which I did. I even found that some of the burl panels were highly figured elm, just beautiful. That's a Dale Tiffany lamp in front of an 1880s tapestry. There's a clan map of Ireland to the left.

Here's a few goodies all in a row: An ebonized sewing stand ca. 1880 with a Japanese silk kimono top, a custom-made walnut dresser ca. 1880, made at 3/4 scale for a teenaged girl, a mahogany music stand ca. 1900 given as a wedding present in Ms. G's family, and an oak Globe-Wernicke bookcase stack ca. 1915. There's a Missouri-made crock from a company that was only in business for a few years in the 1880s on the end, and a caricature of Robert Browning ca. 1870 is on the wall. Oh, and that's a Christmas angel under a dome ca. 1895.

There's a half-pew from England, made of pine ca. 1820. The kneeling rail is American and from before the U.S. Civil War. When purchased it was covered with gray Navy paint. There's a family walnut rocker ca. 1870 next to it, and a folio mid-19th century rendering of Hansel und Gredel is framed above. That's a display of amethyst roundels custom-made in Hannibal, Missouri to the right.

Someone in another one of these tour threads once asked where the overstuffed sofa was. Well, here it is. In front is a walnut marble-topped parlor table ca. 1890 that was another rescue. It's not worth a mint, but it was worth it to me to repair it back to the glory it had. That's another parlor table to the right, supporting a cast-iron stained glass lamp (new shade) married to a very unusual base by Hubley. Never seen another one like it. There's also an old school bell from a school teacher ancestor.

Next is a fragile little mahogany-veneered child's desk with a matching chair ca. 1850. It supports a solid maple shaving mirror and some family memorabilia.

We're back where we started, but looking in the other direction. We've got another Globe Wernicke stacker and a big 30-gallon crock holding some antique quilts.



I hope you had fun with this. There's only one room to go!

 

you have a wonderful museum !!!

 

Oh…My….Goodness! Even your basement is amazing! I love these tours!

 

I've heard that all the world's a stage. This proves it.

 

Once again its just lovely .

 

Holy crap - I have to show that to my wife. She has turned my basement into a "Hoarders" episode and the only way I can navigate it is with some "Junk Swimmer Fins"

 

Mr. G....Your touring skills are just wonderful!!! I love every minute of it!! Your home is obviously a 'labor of love'!!! AND I'm LOVIN' seeing your Wonderful Bidet, especially since I happen to have it's TWIN!!! Although not positive the wood is identical....our cable box sits on top of it!! Now I'll have to go check!!! I do have a question.....do you have any issues with Radon, being a "basement" so to speak??? Or is that not an issue where you live?

 

Once again you have left me speechless with all your wonderful items so artfully displayed!

 

Excellent tour full of beautiful antique items. What a basement to have!

 

Jealous of those barristers book cases. I’d like some GW’s with drawers.

 

I’m jealous of the whole basement. Thanks again for the tour

 

Hey @Aquitaine you can't say that without provide a picture!

Thanks for the kind words, as always. No, we haven't had any Radon problems, although it can be an issue in our area.

 

OK, let's see some photos of your digs, Mr. Komo!

 

Love love LOVE your home tours!

 

Nothing short of what I expected from your home. Attention to detail (lord knows I know nothing about most of this stuff) without being stuffy.

I covet those bookcases. I call dibs on them.

Was that the flooring that came with basement or did you put that in?
Anywho thanks for sharing.

 

Everything is just beyond beautiful!

 

What a great space…comfy and interesting!! I’m very jealous of your basement!

 

wont hold a candle to yours.........

 

Radon is always an issue in New England I think, but if one is in and out of the basement area and the air exchange is good enough, then it tends to not be a problem.....at least that's what I've been told....and our garage access is under our house, so we're constantly in & out.....!!! AND, @Ghopper1924, here ya go!!!! I'm just assuming your porcelain might also be marked the same??? If not, I'd LOVE for someone to be able to identify the mark.....HINT, HINT, HINT!!!!!!!!!! I'm not even sure if it's right side up or not!! (the mark!)
UPDATE! @Ghopper1924, I did a quick comparison!! Just noticed that your lid comes over and rests completely on the top (from what I can see..) whereas, my lid rests on what I'd call 'edges' or 'stops' on the tops of the legs? INTERESTING!!! Hard to tell if the porcelains are different shaped or just the different angles of our pictures!!! FUN!!!! SO, a close "twin", but not quite exact!!!

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I’m still wrapping my head around people using these for food service. It just don’t seem right….floral/potpourri/fake fruit seems more acceptable.

sorry for the derailment