ANTIQUE VICTORIAN TIGER OAK 9 DRAWER INDEX CARD FILE CABINET VETTER DESK WORKS - ROCHESTER, NY CIRCA 1900
Bay Colony Antiques is proud to offer for sale this exceptional early 20th-century antique oak 9-drawer index card file cabinet crafted by Vetter Desk Works of Rochester, New York. Founded in the late 19th century, Vetter Desk Works was known for producing high-quality office furniture, including chairs, desks, and file cabinets. We buy and sell a lot of antique file cabinets and can’t recall ever having a Vetter file. The cabinet is well made and retains its original factory finish, which is in good condition for its approximate 120 years of age. Its original Vetter decal is mostly intact and prominently displayed at the top center, adding to its authenticity and charm. The cabinet’s craftsmanship is evident in the dovetail joinery that connects the top and bottom to the sides, ensuring durability for many more years to come.
This file cabinet features nine index card-sized drawers, each with its original thumb-molded index card plates and backplates for file rods. It’s not uncommon to see the file rods removed because the file folders that worked with that system became obsolete shortly after. Each drawer also has a solid bottom, eliminating the common center gap seen in other cabinets of this style, ensuring safe and versatile storage. The drawers have useable dimensions of 5 1/16” wide x 11” deep x 3 1/2” tall, with a full interior depth of 13 1/2” available if you remove the tension plates and drawer backing. This Vetter file cabinet is not only a functional storage solution but also a nice piece of Rochester history for any office or home. The overall dimensions of the cabinet are 20” wide x 15 1/2” deep (16” with pull) x 13 1/2” tall.
