Wow! Looks exactly like Ralphie from A Christmas Story!

This stove was used during the revolutionary war. I live near valley forge Pa, very historic area. It is said that George Washington used ten plate stoves. We found this in the woods!

Wow, This is beautiful.

Wow....he's so dapper. We should all age so well and be so fashionable when we are that age.

This is a very cute kitchen!

Nice to have something from your great grandfather!

Nice! Very beautiful!

May she live as long as she wants to

I first read it as "Kardashian" Burn it now!

Wow!

The penmanship is beautiful

"Restoring" it was the hard part because, since it's so antique, you have to use things only available and used during the era it was built. So it took me a lot of research before I even started. Have to use beeswax candles to keep the drawers even remotely slidable.

My grandmother had the first editions of the original first two Winnie the Pooh books by A.A. Milne, published in 1926, as well as first editions of 3 Ernest Thompson Seton works. I've collected a number of vintage books and love their history!

I was just saying to someone else, and I'm sure you've already considered this, but to maintain its value it's a good idea to research what products were used during the period it was built so you don't degrade the value of it by using modern products to restore it. I have an old Singer first electric series that's from the mid or late 1890s that my son restored and gave me. He buys, restores, and sells them as a hobby. He uses kerosene to clean these old machines--iso alcohol ruins the lacquer. Same applies to restoring the cabinets. Electric sanders, modern polymer-based paints and finishes will ruin the value bc they aren't period-true. Antique specialists often say that it's better to leave something falling apart than to try to fix it using modern methods. I imagine you considered this, already, since you are a professional, but I thought I'd throw that in there in case you were considering updating it to modern standards in order to optimize its function. :)

Though the shape is similar, the difference in weight between this one and my great-grandmother’s older machine is huge. This one is still heavy, probably around 25-30lbs, but the older one feels like one solid hunk of iron and probably weighs closer to 50lbs. Sorry to bend the rules by sharing them both, but I don’t have a lot of heirlooms, and so I’m very proud or and attached to the ones I do have, especially my sewing related ones, as I am a professional seamstress and designer. Also my great aunt took such good care of her things! She regularly has this thing serviced up until she died! It still has its accessories, carrying case, AND instruction booklet!

I couldn't read parts of the message but here's appx. what it says, with original punctuation: Addressed to Mrs. John Lessard, Burlington, WA: Dear Sister, How are you getting along. Are you going on the farm soon. we have moved to Bristol now. We have a horse now. Will got it from his home wh---. We got a farm now so sue can k--- it. Your sister, Elsie W. Bristol Wi----

I’m sorry for your loss. It’s a lovely photo <3

Grandma bought one just like it in Egypt the late 1950s. Her husband was a college professor and invited to teach in Egypt for a year.

Baptismal Cup? I have one similar to that with my birth year on it.

The original photo bomb!

If my sis had one of these I have little doubt that I'd still have a bump on my head. ;)

Oh man, this reminds me...we have a family bible from my husband's side of the family that goes back to the 1400s! It's over 2 feet long and at least 1.5 feet wide. Biggest bible I've ever seen in my life. It's guided in gold with gold locks and has some kind of metal outer covers...I am guessing probably retrofitted well after 1400 to keep it from falling apart. Looks more like a box than a bible, at first glance. But this one you have has a lot more character than his, which I think is grey (we haven't pulled it out in like ten years) and it's so fragile you really don't want to even touch it. :/