Hmmmmm....?
Well he called it a "display cabinet" and it looks like it will work very well for displaying anything you want!! LOL!
As for that "step"....no earthly idea! If you put something on it you can't open the glass doors above....
How is it made? does it look like a modern piece? Or is their evidence of some hand work?
I really can't believe it's a production piece....

I'm no "Linda", lol, & I'm sure my ignorance will show here, but..

When I looked at the images, what popped into my mind was - some sort of gentlemans wardrobe, with a bench/seat for applying socks & shoes?

(I can picture Jeeves neatly putting Wooster's clothing into something like this...).
:-)

Linda, guess I really didn't look it over that well to see if it could be a hand-made piece. Doesn't look modern though. What's gets me is the depth, 16". KS toolgirl's suggestion of a gentleman's chest(I can picture that too!!) sounds good, but what would be kept in such a narrow piece of furniture, especially with the glass doors.

I had never seen anything like it, and for $200 didn't think that was too bad for using as a display cabinet at my antique space, but will also have it for sale.

Thanks to both of you for taking a guess! ;o)

I will further mention that I guess that it was made as a display cabinet...
It's not deep enough for clothes....and I have never EVER seen clothing displayed behind glass doors. And Someone has to make some of those display pieces you find in the higher end department stores...
Its perfect for displaying stuff in a shop! Can't you see it full of china and glass with a couple of books held up by fancy book ends on that little useless step?

Linda, I have a bunch of creamware i'll probably put in it....and some old French books. ;o)

Yep.. I didn't quite think that through. (Glass front, duh!). Sorry about that.
:-)

Definately put books - or something, a non-slip rubber mat? - on the bench/step, if for no other reason than to keep kids (or me, 5'ish) from stepping up for a closer look-see. Perhaps that was the intent, in the first place? Linda did mention that if something were placed on it, the glass doors above couldn't be reached - I'm thinking that as a display case, nothing in that small area would sell if people couldn't see it. The step being the same dimensions as the small area above makes it seem more likely - & a brilliant plan!
As long as the finish doesn't get scuffed from shoes, people like myself could finally see what's at the top of display cases in antique shops.
Wonderful idea! :-)

It's nice looking. My first thought when I saw it was a bookcase / display cabinet.

A light bulb went off in my head~~could it have been a display cabinet used in a haberdashery, which is a mens store? It could have held ties, etc.

I'm still not getting the step, unless it was used to try on shoes. If it's from England, anything is a possibly. ;o)

I did have another question - how deep is the drawer under the step? Does it extend all the way to the back of the cabinet? (If not, what's behind it?).

Lol - that step is what makes me WANT this piece. (And room for something like it). I could (maybe) reach the top cabinet, without dragging the kitchen table over to stand on. (You think I haven't? Guess again!). :-)

I don't think I would be standing on that step....might have the whole cabinet, china and all come crashing down....doesn't look like tehre are support legs between the step and the body of the cabinet.

I think it's simply the housing for the drawers. The drawers were probably designed to fit something that went with the other contents and needed more space. Do the shelves have a plate groove or are they just flat?