I was doing my usual wandering among the furniture at an auction house a few weeks ago looking for some interesting or unusual pieces. I was focusing on the tables and dressers and armoires on either side of me when I looked up ahead and saw the back of “something” that was facing the main aisle.
It was a tall piece of furniture, its back consisting of planks of weathered wood held together with nails. I could tell that it was an antique, but what was it? I strode around to the front of the piece and saw that it was a secretary desk. No way I would have guessed it right, based on the back.
Then I started noticing the backs of other furniture and wondering what they looked like. Some had extensions at the top, and those teased me with a hint of what to expect but didn’t offer enough of a clue to help me figure it out on my own.
Here are some of those furniture backs. Are you as curious as I was about what was on the other side? Click on the photos for the answer. Click on the photo above to see what that piece looks like.
