Antique of the Month - One end of a wooden Baby Bassinet, c. 1880, possibly Johanna Brotch’s

This month’s Antique of the Month from the Historic Johanna Brotch House is one end of a solid wood baby bassinette c. 1880 that I discovered hidden away in the basement of Johanna Brotch’s former home at 515 East Lincoln Avenue when I moved in in December 1993. Johanna died in the house in 1948 after having lived there for 58 years, since it was first built in 1890.

Because I found this part of the bassinet hidden away along with a rug beater and solid wood hand bar bell, I think it’s entirely possible if not probable this and these other two were originally Johanna’s though I have no evidence to prove that. Also still in the house was the original coal shovel, which I foolishly threw away, along with the only original Art Nouveau brass ceiling light fixture that was originally in the large bedroom upstairs facing the street. I also found two etched glass light fixture covers that I believe were in the other two adjoining bedrooms. These were in boxes full of junk. I know for a fact the brass ceiling fixture was from the front bedroom because it was painting mint green, the same color as I found the room was painted. Plus, its style, Art Nouveau, matches the later time when the second floor was added in 1902 during the short period in which Art Nouveau flourished.

Johanna had six children and it’s entirely possible if not probable the surviving portion of a baby bassinet belonged to her original one. It fits the period when she had her children, and, again, it was found with the other items of the same time. I also encountered a woman that stopped in front of the house in the mid-1990s that said she remembered there was an old woman that once lived here that was selling off all her antiques in the 1940s. So this would also lend some credibility to this bassinet possibly once belonging to Johanna who lived alone in the house until she died, age 92, in 1948.

The photos below are of the larger surviving parts, but I also have a box full of smaller pieces. My plan is to restore all of it back together and hang it on a wall in the dining room next to my 1905 Edison Gem phonograph (see it work previously on my blog). I will then use it to hold my many Edison Gem phonograph sleeves (records) that play on the Gem.

I hope you will enjoy these photos of the baby bassinet!