Blue Ridge Institute, Director - Researches Punched Tin Pie Safes

By Ferrum College

Issue: March, 1984

This “urn and tulip” design in a punched tin panel from a pie safe shows the Pennsylvania-German influence on furniture made in Southwest Virginia and East Tennessee.FERRUM, VA - A study of pie safes or furniture with punched tin panels made in Southwest Virginia or East Tennessee is being conducted by Roddy Moore, director of the Blue Ridge Institute at Ferrum College in Ferrum, Virginia.

Moore has been photographing and making a record of the patterns in the tin panels for the last 15 years. He plans to write an article on the subject in the near future.

The making of safes in the region began about the 1830’s and at one time nearly every home had one. Made of walnut, cherry or poplar, they had tin panels in the front and sometimes in the ends also. Moore has found tin panels in corner cupboards, sideboards and in interior doors in some homes.

Moore feels that the most interesting designs in the tin panels can be found in the Southwest Virginia and the East Tennessee area and would like to hear from people with punched tin pie safes or information about them. Please write or call:

Roddy Moore
Blue Ridge Institute
Ferrum College Ferrum, VA 24088
(540) 365-2121, ext. 107