Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 23 hours ago
This ornate 17th-century tabletop cabinet from the South German city of Augsburg holds many secrets in its endless drawers. Part medicine cabinet, part writing desk and filing cabinet, and part safe-deposit box, the cabinet may have contained everything from jewelry, gems, and important papers to hammers, scissors, and even an ear scoop.
In preparation for its display in the recently renovated and reopened Eloise W. Martin Galleries, the curatorial and conservation teams reconsidered the cabinet and the rare pieces of hardware and drawer contents that had long been misunderstood and kept in storage. After careful study, these elements have been reunited with the cabinet and are now on view alongside its once-hidden interiors.
In this conversation, curator Jonathan Tavares and conservator Lisa Ackerman discuss the curious cabinet and the conservation efforts that uncovered its hidden history.
This ornate 17th-century tabletop cabinet from the South German city of Augsburg holds many secrets in its endless drawers. Part medicine cabinet, part writing desk and filing cabinet, and part safe-deposit box, the cabinet may have contained everything from jewelry, gems, and important papers to hammers, scissors, and even an ear scoop.
In preparation for its display in the recently renovated and reopened Eloise W. Martin Galleries, the curatorial and conservation teams reconsidered the cabinet and the rare pieces of hardware and drawer contents that had long been misunderstood and kept in storage. After careful study, these elements have been reunited with the cabinet and are now on view alongside its once-hidden interiors.
In this conversation, curator Jonathan Tavares and conservator Lisa Ackerman discuss the curious cabinet and the conservation efforts that uncovered its hidden history.
