What Would You Do?

[cabinetman]

My GIL (Grandmother-In-Law) passed away in the early 80's. She was my wife's grandmother. The only furniture left to speak of was a corner cabinet that is described as being about 6' tall, and about 36" wide at the front. It has two framed glass upper doors, and two solid doors below. It's painted white.

It's up for grabs, as my Cousin-In-Law (my wife's cousin) has had it since, and doesn't want it anymore. I have been in that home and if it was there I didn't take notice. If it was ornate or out of the ordinary, I'm sure I would have remembered it.

Anyway, my wife has expressed her desire to have it. We only have one corner in our home that it could go. To get it from Virginia to Florida would entail a mover to pack it up, and ship it here. There would likely be considerable shipping costs. For whatever it looks like, and it's close to 100 years old, I could duplicate it, and likely make one for the shipping costs.

We have discussed that option, but at the present, we don't have a great need for another cabinet. It's just the "belonging to her grandmother" thing that's an issue...one of those family things.

It may be just worth the "hubby points" to make her happy.

.

[Mr__Bill]

Just go get it! It's sentimental and the trip will be nice, time it for fall foliage. Remember it's not about the cabinet but what your wife expects of you.


Bill on the left coast

[RAFlorida]

I agree with Bill.

The sentimental value greatly exceeds any other value. True, the cost of going up there and renting a trailer seems prohibitive; but your LOYL's memories of her Grandmother are whats important.

[Dal300]

Yeah, I have to agree also. Go get it yourself and face the wife's cousins and other relatives.

Cheaper than shipping it and if the glass doesn't survive the ride, you'll have 100 year old wood to work with.

[cwsmith]

Every "family" is different, and certainly every wife is "different" (100-fold), so you are the only person who can answer that question.

I see one of the members suggested you "take the trip" and from my limited perspective that alone is a memory builder that I think I would explore with enthusiasm. Depending on "the wife", that may be worth far more than the cabinet itself.

But for the cabinet... you say it's "painted". My first thought is to what might be under that paint, and what's the origins of the cabinet itself. That might be an adventure worth exploring, though perhaps not reason in itself to go to great expense.

Most important, is simply your wife's desire to have it. What memories may she have of her grandmother, that may be tied to that is only imaginable. I can only think of MY grandmother and some of her furniture and the "value" of what having it would mean to me. It's not value in the since of monetary worth, but heritage and fondness for the loved one.

You can't put a price on that kind of value.... I think I'd go for it and take the trip if you can afford both the time and expense. It should be great fun for you both.

CWS

[dbhost]

Does your wife get along with her cousins? If so you could earn a bunch of husband points...

Fly up there, do a one way car rental of something big enough to haul the thing, like a small station wagon, and drive the thing back. You get some family time, road trip time, and your bride gets grandmas cabinet... Win win win all the way around...

[cabinetman]

Thanks to all that have responded so far. Both my wife and I despise her cousin, and we don't get along one bit. I'm thinking that her cousin getting rid of the cabinet is a statement of sorts towards the family.

Flying up there and driving back, or driving up there and driving back is not an option. If we do the deal, we'll have it shipped.

.

[Mr__Bill]

Thanks to all that have responded so far. Both my wife and I despise her cousin, and we don't get along one bit. I'm thinking that her cousin getting rid of the cabinet is a statement of sorts towards the family.

Flying up there and driving back, or driving up there and driving back is not an option. If we do the deal, we'll have it shipped.

.

Well, in that case -- I would definitely go get it myself and tell them just how much you like the cabinet, how you always wanted it and after you get it in the car tell them that you priced it as an antique and it 's worth thousands and after you lift the paint off it you are going to sell it! Then I would take it home and let the wife enjoy grandmothers cabinet.


Bill on the left coast
when someone tries to stick it to you, thank them for the knife and take it

[JimD]

My late wife was "given" one piece of furniture when her parents downsized from the house she grew up in to a condo that her Mom still lives in. It is a "cedar" chest her grandfather made. He was a farmer and in his later years a custodian for the school district. The outside is cedar but there is a plywood box inside of the cedar because it is not sound without the plywood. I volunteered to make a better one but that wasn't the point. This is probably the fanciest and nicest piece of furniture her grandfather made.

My wife rented a minivan and drove over 1,000 miles each way to get this thing. It got filled up with other trinkets that had to be kept. It cost me a week's rental on the van, gas, and several nights in hotels. I still don't love it but it doesn't fit badly in our upstairs guest room where the furniture is the first bedroom set I ever made. My early creations aren't the greatest either.

Long way of saying you should get it the best way you can. How well it is made or what it is worth or how it fits into the house are not the point.

Jim

[TB Roye]

Smile get the Brownie points It is something from her family. Maybe you can refinish it for her.

Tom

[herb fellows]

Hopefully you have watched enough 'Antique roadshows' to know not to touch it until you're sure it isn't valuable.

'It's a shame you polished it, Mrs Smith, it's only worth 20 cents now. if you had left it alone, it would be worth 20 million dollars. Oh, well, live and learn.'

[gerti]

Road trip!

[Pappy]

Well, in that case -- I would definitely go get it myself and tell them just how much you like the cabinet, how you always wanted it and after you get it in the car tell them that you priced it as an antique and it 's worth thousands and after you lift the paint off it you are going to sell it! Then I would take it home and let the wife enjoy grandmothers cabinet.


Bill on the left coast
when someone tries to stick it to you, thank them for the knife and take it

I like the way you think, but that is just WRONG!

He can't go up there a lie like that to the wife's family. At least not without getting an antique dealer to dummy up an appraisal to back him up.

Seriously, C-Man, if the wife wants it, find a way.

[chopnhack]

Is the family trustworthy enough not to cause some calamity with the movers that come to package it and ship it? Sounds like a rough situation. If it's not too expensive, I am sure LOYL would want it, if nothing more to save it from perhaps being thrown out by others that dont care...

[cabinetman]

Is the family trustworthy enough not to cause some calamity with the movers that come to package it and ship it?

Sad to say I wouldn't put it past them to do something like that. Or worse yet, if I drove all the way up there to get it.

.