Mid-Century German Schrank Cabinet
A vintage German lacquered cabinet with extensive storage and keys offered by Snowdrift Antiques.
The word “schrank” in German loosely translates to “cabinet”. It is usually a large cabinet that might have storage space for flatware, glassware and sometimes even a wardrobe section for clothing. They were often a wedding gift by parents to a daughter who is getting married. Most often you will see these cabinets made of a wood such as oak, with scrolling , carving and a lot of woodworking detail. You also find this mid-century style, which is a lacquered finish over a beautiful woodgrain.
So is it a “schrank” or a “shrunk” cabinet? It can be either. the German name is “Schrank” but Americans have taken to pronouncing it “Shrunk.”
The label on the back of the top section tells us this piece was made by Munker-Modell, a German cabinet maker. This is the model “Wesel 200”. You can find various models made by M-M and it appears the number indicates the length in centimeters. Not a lot of information is available for Munker-Modell. This piece is from the 1950s.
This is a large cabinet. It measures 78 ¾ inches wide by 19 deep and stands 60 ½ high. It is two pieces, making it fairly easy to move around the house.
The bottom section features two doors that lock with keys and one door that has a latch on the backside once you have unlocked the left door. The top section has three small drawers along the midline of the piece. The right side of the top section is another door that locks with a key and has two fixed shelves. The left side of the top section has two wooden lacquered sliding doors and one sliding glass door that cover wood and glass shelving along with two sections that are backed with mirrors. The far left section has a switch operated light.
This piece has a LOT of storage and could serve as a dining room hutch as well as a bar all in one piece. One feature you often see on this style of German cabinet is the locking doors for keeping control of your bar inventory.
This piece is in very good vintage condition. The top front edge of the bottom section has nicks and wear to the lacquer particularly on the right end, but no water marks or rings. The lacquered door fronts are clean and free from such wear. What you see in the pictures on the right door are reflections from the shelf onto the high gloss. This piece has a beautiful glossiness to it that makes it difficult to shoot in sunlight. It needs to be seen to be appreciated.
