Wow this is all so interesting! Unfortunately OneWorkbench, there is no slide out. It's probably an optical illusion in the photo. The rounded part is the top part, and the recessed area is below (where the tops of the doors close, is the best way I can describe it).

I'm beginning to think you folks are correct and this was two pieces formed into one. The top part is very reminiscent of the top of a hutch (with the rounded area at the bottom).

My aunt was quite an interesting person.... she was the "black sheep" of her big Irish family growing up (LOL) and had many varied friends of different persuasions; in other words, she was way ahead of her time. She moved around quite a bit and I believe this particular piece of furniture may have been taken on "large item trash day" from a neighbor's house!!

I actually love the weirdness of the piece and have used it for lots of things throughout the years. I love the idea of using the bottom for quilt display! At one time when my mom was living with me, we had collectibles displayed in the lighted bottom portion, but the shelf it set in such a way that everything in there has to be really small (short) in order to be seen.

I'm fascinated by this discussion... thank you! :)

I believe the carving is a wheat design that has been "so called" spoon carving. I am also wondering f it sa kitchen piece.

It might be a dining room piece, but I doubt it's a kitchen piece. Kitchen furniture usually has a purpose/function. You can't cool a pie inside those glass doors. There's no place to store flour, herbs, sugar or any other food item. Proofing bread is usually done around a heat source. Putting it inside a roll top doesn't make sense and wouldn't serve any purpose, as the two things you need to proof dough is heat and humidity. Neither would be provided inside the roll top. There is no place to roll out dough. There is no good place to store dishes or silverware or pots and pans.

I would guess it had a specific purpose. Otherwise, it doesn't make sense. It's not a desk, it's not a kitchen item, it's not a bedroom item. It doesn't appear to be a useful dining room item, as it can't serve as a bar, a buffet or a hutch. Maybe it's a store display of some sort.

It has me stumped.

bkay

Are there any markings on the back of the item or anywhere. It reminds me more of the Early American revival in the 1960's.

Looks to me like a quilt display piece on the bottom and quilting supplies under the roll top. I'd take the piece next to the roll top off and put an old fashioned telephone there. It's a lovely conversation piece.

If the shelves are in-set and there are sections in the rolltop that looks like you can put envelops etc, then it could be a desk, used when the doors are open.

I know a bit about antiques. My mother was very much into them and had taken a lot of classes on antiques and collectibles. I've never seen anything like this. I'm leaning towards it either being a marriage. However, Aurora's suggestion that it was part of the Early American revival of the 60's does have merit. I remember that and there were some pieces made that were never made back in the day.

A childhood friend of mine had parents who did a bit of entertaining. They had a similar cabinet except the rolltop part was different, I think it was maybe a slideby door? Anyway, they kept liqueur bottles in the bottom, glasses behind the door and used the open part to hold an ice bucket and mix drinks. I don't know if that's what it was made for but they used it as a dry bar (no sink).

Hello again folks!

Aurora - Sadly, no markings anywhere on the piece.

Farmhousesewer - Nope, no slots for envelopes or anything desk-like.

Huntress - Very interesting thought! As I said, the bottom glass shelf areas (with inside light) are very short, definitely would fit liquor glasses though... and I remember some families in the 70's did have their glasses in hutches with lights. This probably could have been used as a dry bar....hmmmm.......

I still think quilts would look nice inside those glass doors! Unfortunately the only place I can fit this right now is in my kitchen area. But I suppose the quilts would still be protected because they would be inside, right? :)

What I was thinking, too. Looks like a roll top desk top attached to possibly the top part of a "pie safe" as the lower part -- with a constructed base or a base taken from yet another furniture piece, as the bottom.