Romweber China Cabinet

Some vintage Romweber Furniture Company designs may strike the young as passé. But for fans of a certain age, the American brand never went out of style.

The Romweber story began in the late 1800s, with the launch of American Furniture Company, which made bedroom furniture, Batesville Cabinet Company, a dining-room-set manufacturer, and Batesville Coffin Company. The three companies eventually merged to become a large and reputable manufacturer of case goods, furniture and more. Not unlike many American companies, production at Romweber suffered during the Great Depression. The brand managed to stay afloat by making a rather strange pivot — to selling five-pound fruitcake boxes. During the Second World War, Romweber pivoted again, this time to the production of ammunition boxes and pontoons for American troops and, naturally, furniture for officers’ quarters.

While Romweber furniture (spelled “RomWeber” in vintage advertisements), dating back to the early 20th century, had designers working in the French Rococo and Chippendale styles, the brand is best known for its mid-century modern pieces. In the postwar years, Romweber manufactured walnut case pieces and storage cabinets that featured decorative olive-ash and burl-wood inlays with brass hardware as well as solid oak credenzas and dining tables designed by the likes of Harold Schwartz. For collectors of sophisticated 1950s furniture, the company’s sturdy Viking Oak line is particularly popular.

“It’s not uncommon for customers to say, ‘My parents had this Romweber Viking set,’” says Adam Cramer of collectors who visit Liberty & 33rd, the gallery he owns with his wife in South Bend, Indiana, about three hours north of Romweber’s birthplace in small-town Batesville. “It’s solid oak,” Cramer tells 1stDibs of the line of tables, chairs, desks and more.

Solid oak is the product of slow-growing deciduous trees. Solid oak furniture is durable, desirable and an investment that is usually associated with a hefty price. In solid oak furnishings, such as those that make up the covetable Romweber Viking Oak line, which launched in 1935, there aren’t any scraps of other components in the construction. Inspired by Scandinavian folk design, Romweber’s Viking Oak is said to have enjoyed one of the longest runs for a commercial furniture line in history. The collection went out of production in the late 1980s, and mid-century editions remain highly prized for their exceptional quality and hand-carved details.

Find vintage Romweber furniture on 1stDibs.

Although traditionally used in the bedroom to store garments that would not be hung in a closet, an antique or vintage cabinet can easily find a purpose in rooms throughout your entire house.

The world's first storage cabinets, reportedly constructed in Renaissance-era Europe, were demonstrative of excellence in carpentry and the work of master carvers. These robust bureaus or sophisticated chests of drawers were typically built from common woods, such as oak or walnut. Although they were fairly uniform in structure and lacked the bright colors of modern-day furniture, case pieces and storage cabinets that date from the 18th century and earlier were often found in the homes of nobility.

Their intricate carvings and various embellishments — adornments made from ivory, ornate lacquer work and, later, glass shelvings — reflect the elegance with which these decorative furnishings were associated. Given its valuable purpose and the beauty of the early furnishings' designs, the storage cabinet is an investment that will never go out of style.

The practical design that defines the earliest storage cabinets has inspired the creation of household must-haves, like minimalist drink trolleys and marble wood bookcases. From hiding outdoor gear in the mudroom to decluttering your kitchen with a tall kitchen pantry cabinet, these versatile furnishings have now become available in enough sizes, styles and colors to accommodate any space. After all, these aren't your run-of-the-mill filing cabinets.

A sophisticated storage cabinet — wood storage cabinets with doors and shelves, for example — can serve as a room divider when necessary, while the right vintage wall unit or floor-to-ceiling cabinetry solutions can seamlessly become part of any space without disrupting the energy of the room. And although you may hide items away in its drawers, bookworms might prefer a storage cabinet with open shelving for displaying favorite books or other media.

One-of-a-kind solutions for the modern consumer abound, but enthusiasts of understated, classical beauty may turn to Baroque-style storage cabinets. Elsewhere, admirers of mid-century modernism looking to make a statement with their case pieces will warm to the dark woods and clean lines of vintage storage cabinets by Paul McCobb, Florence Knoll or Edward Wormley.

Sometimes the best renovation is a reorganization. If you're ready to organize and elevate your space, a luxury storage cabinet is the addition you need.

Find a variety of vintage and antique storage cabinets on 1stDibs, including unique Art Deco storage cabinets, chinoiserie cabinets and more.