This Sensational Dining Suite By Drexel Was What Had Me Running Around All Morning Saturday. It's The Subtle And Sublime Declaration Line...And Lots Of It! Status: Available.

The name "Declaration" conjures up what, Colonial style furnishings?  This ain't that.  But to be fair, there are many pieces of the Drexel Declaration line that would perhaps fit that image you've conjured up.  I'm not sure how the two fit together and share the same name but I'm not a marketing genius either.  I'll leave that mystery to the pros.

This magnificent dining suite was designed by Kipp Stewart and Stewart MacDougall who also designed  

this rather rare side chair that I found at the Belleville Flea Market a while back.  If you click through and 

check out that chair you can see some similarities to the chairs in this set.  The table is a conveniently 

designed drop leaf extension table.  It can be used by just two for morning coffee and then opened up 

for four for family dinner.  Add the leaf and you're prepared for Thanksgiving dinner.  It's not just a 

beautiful walnut dining table but it's also so very versatile.

The sculpted walnut dining chairs are surprisingly light yet sturdy.  I was happy to find that there were no

wobbles in the chairs or in any of the pieces.  The upholstery isn't my style but that's so easily replaced. 

I love that the back legs are all one piece and have that beautiful big angle and taper.  The little details

make the design, like the fitted screw covers and the little piece of wood that separates the upright from

the backrest.

Cupboard?  Really?  I don't normally associate such a small case piece with that label.  I think I might

call this a sideboard or small buffet.  Again, I'm not going to argue with the marketing guys.  Check out

that beautiful figuring in the walnut on the door faces.  There is a small bit of damage to the finish on the

top.  It's about the size of a desert plate on the front left but I haven't used any Howard's on it yet so it

might not be an issue at all.

This china cabinet is the jewel of the suite.  Like the rest of the set, it's in such amazing shape for being

50+ years old.  I haven't touched it with anything and as you can see, it's very clean.  The only issue with

this china cab is that it's a one piece unit.  These are hard to move because the top doesn't come off and

as a result a larger vehicle is needed.

It's worth the extra effort.  The piece is beautiful, complete and LIGHTED!  Yes, there are lights above

both upper shelves as well as inside the two doors in the base.  Note also, there are white milkglass

shelves behind the sliding glass doors up top.

I'm just now noticing that there is a difference in the finish on either side of this china cabinet.  The left

side was facing a window...for probably every one of those 50+ years, and has faded.  I bet a quick

wipe down with Howard's will bring that finish back to life.  Like I said, I've done nothing to this yet. 

I'm guessing that the "5-62" stamped on the back of these case pieces is the date of manufacture.  This

sound right to anybody else?  Isn't it nice that they've been kind enough to stamp the manufacturer and

line on the back?  Don't ya wish all the manufacturers had done this?!   Anyway, I don't have room for

this at either of my "outlets" so this can't go to The Green Shag or Fleur De Lis - Home Source.  It's

going back on c-list and coming right back out of here at home.  Lemme know if you're interested!