Cedar Chest

 Woke up early and could hear the wind howling outside.  I wouldn't get back to sleep if I didn't check Mjolner's door.  I stepped into the clothes from yesterday, grabbed a flashlight, and walked through the house to the front door.  Dunder jumped off the top of one of the stuffed chairs to follow me.  Whip, who had chosen to sleep on the couch, only raised her head in greeting.  The wind was blowing some areas completely devoid of snow but piling it into drifts elsewhere.  Verified both outbuildings were shut up tight though I had to wade through a 4 foot drift to do it.   I'm going nowhere until the driveway is plowed or spring arrives (whichever comes first).  Warmed up the latte from yesterday and sat down at the computer.  Went searching to find the origins of a cedar chest given to me by Friend Kathy.  Found it!  It's a Caswell Runyan Waterfall Cedar Chest probably built in the 40's in Huntington, Indiana.  In the early 1900's cedar chests were an important part of household furniture as a place to keep linens, blankets, clothes, and valuables.  It became a standard gift for a new bride and was often handmade by her father.  Then unmarried women began using them as hope chests.  John Caswell and Winfred Runyan realized a buisness opportunity and commercially produced chests between 1907 and 1956.   This one has a beautiful book pattern wood veneer and is lined in cedar.  There was a recall to remove the locks on these chests in 1996 though this one still retains one.  Originally the skirtboard and legs were of a much lighter colored wood cut in a wavy pattern.   Had brother Brent remove that and replace it w/ a simple walnut base.  The Keno brothers on the Antique Roadshow would berate me for ruining an antique.  Could be - but it's much prettier like this.