Insouciance: Music, Past and Present

Credits, left to right: DGW Auctioneers, Harp Gallery, Antiques Atlas

An Art Nouveau Music Cabinet renovation posted by Peeling Paint got me to thinking about this particular type of furnishing, something that was probably much more common in the Victorian home and those of the early 20th century than the average modern-day house. I certainly never had one growing up, even though we owned a piano (and never had anywhere to keep the music, except on top of the piano itself!). Yes, a spinet piano was usually sold with a bench that doubled as music storage, but this quickly proved inadequate, especially if someone was taking lessons.

Still wondering what the purpose of the mirror was...?

I'm not usually a fan of red, but I think this little music cabinet looks delightful done up in Annie Sloan Emperor's Silk Chalk Paint. I wouldn't mind having it in my "music room" (aka the living room). Speaking of which, I've gone back to my texts on Victorian life to do some research on the importance of music in the household, and found some interesting little bits and pieces, such as this website, victoriana.com. As noted, it was the inevitable coal dust and grit associated with homes of nineteenth and early twentieth century England which necessitated a place in which to store music where it could be kept relatively clean. Having lived in a vintage 1865 London terrace house, I can only imagine that the dust levels in homes of this era must have been all but suffocating when coal was the main source of fuel. The grit accumulation in the window sills, long after the banning of coal burning at the turn of the millennium, was alarming.

Thanks to modern awareness, the air we breathe is clearer, but....wouldn't a beautiful cabinet to store all that sheet music be just as functional today?