Cabinet, Medical

Object Name:

Cabinet, Medical

Object ID:

1994.028

Place of Origin:

Pennsylvania (probably)

Date:

circa 1910

Description:

Cabinet, medical, used by several physicians since c. 1910. Wood (birch) chest (A) with white marble top (not attached) (B).
Marble top (B): Flat marble table top, with matching backsplash and triangular brackets. All pieces attached with screws. Marble is white, with black veins. The edge of the front marble is bevelled, as well as 3.25" down each side. Crayon and pencil marks on reverse of the marble slabs include: numbers, "2", "3", and "65"; letters "[E or J]OK", and "McY__S" as well as others that are illegible.
Case (A): Walnut primary wood with maple and unidentified secondary woods. Mortise and tenon construction, reinforced with screws and wire nails throughout. Case includes a block of 4 shallow drawers (range from 1.5" to 1.75" high), atop two larger drawers on the left side and a cabinet on the right side. Shallow drawers have walnut fronts with molded decorative horizontal lines. Drawer knobs octagonal, silver-color metal with black lines (art deco style; replacements). Drawers are constructed partly with nails, and partly with a semi-circular mortise and tenon joinery (note that the drawers are not constructed uniformly). The lower drawer on the left has a small label: "#24 Syringe". Drawer interiors painted yellow. Drawers on right side both lined with paper.
Larger drawers (beneath shallow drawers on left side only) also have walnut fronts with decorative molded lines, approximately 7" high. Handles are horizontal bands, silver-color metal, with 3 black lines (art deco style; replacements). Drawer fronts are joined with semi-circular mortise and tenon construction, which are also glued. Yellow wash on interior. Written in pencil on back, "139" on one drawer, "140" on the other. Correspondingly written on the back interior of the cabinet are numbers: "139", "140", and "141". Glue blocks on case interior serve as stoppers for the drawers.
Cabinet (beneath shallow drawers on right side only) has a door, with empty space behind it.
Cabinet door is panel construction. Center panel has two decorative molded grooves. Handle (replacement) is oriented vertically, and has a push-button release mechanism (evidence of a former mechanism). Also, there is a magnet on the frame of the cabinet for closure.
Corners of the case are square columns, each with five vertical grooves on their fronts. Columns terminate in rectangular blocks with horizontal grooved front. Casters added. Skirt present, also with molded horizontal grooves.

Material:

Wood
Stone
Marble
Maple
Walnut
Metal

Dimensions:

H-37.25 W-27 D-15 inches

Provenance:

Dr. William G. Phippen (1924-2020) of Meredith, NH, a retired orthopedic surgeon, donated the chest to NHHS. Had belonged to Dr. Phippen's deceased partner, Dr. Marvin Goodman and to Goodman's uncle before that. Dr. Phippen brought chest with him when he moved from his Lancaster, PA practice to New Hampshire. Dr. Phippen used chest for medical examination tools while working at Rehabilitation Services in Portsmouth, NH (branch of Portsmouth Hospital) from 1977 to 1981.
Dr. Marvin Goodman, an orthopedic surgeon, used this chest in his Lancaster, PA, practice. Chest was previously used by his uncles, c. 1900, who were general practitioners. Chest would have been used in a doctor's office; small drawers for surgical tools, marble top for dispensing medicines.

Credit Line:

Gift of Dr. William G. Phippen

People:

Phippen, William G. (1924-2020), Goodman, Marvin ( -1970s)