Clothespress

Dateca. 1740

Attributed to Giles Grendey

MediumMahogany, oak, deal, and wool.

DimensionsH: 65 1/4"; OW (base): 52 1/2"; OD (base):27 1/2"

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1956-298

DescriptionAppearance:
Clothespress in two sections. Upper section: flat, rectangular top; band of half round convex molding below top on front and sides carved with series of four petal flowers interspersed with dots on punchwork ground; below, a quarter round concave molding of four petal flowers in interlaced ovals on punchwork ground; two, full-length doors at front opening at middle and hinged at either side; each door contains large, central fielded panel of ogival form at all four sides; each panel bordered by band of carved egg and dart molding; right hand door, bordered on left side by single strip of beaded molding hiding overlap of doors; interior of upper sections made up of four adjustable trays, each bordered at upper edge of front with a brown tape fastened with brass tacks; single, permanently fixed shelf at center of interior. Lower section: rectangular base with molded upper edge to receive top section; carving on molding consists of a band of foliate motifs, above a band of carved, Grecian scrolls; scrolled apron carved with leafage and flowers, centered at front and on each side by a modified shell; four cabriole legs with acanthus carving on knees and terminating in large claw feet with prominent knuckles; rear legs not finished at back.

Construction:
On the clothespress, the mahogany sides are probably half-blind dovetailed to the three board oak top, the thickness of which has been augmented by 2” wide 3/8” lath glued to the under surface of the side edges. The mahogany front rail is glued to the underside of the top at the front, notched around the sides and rabbeted across the front to receive the doors. A single piece highly carved mahogany mitered molding is nailed to the front and side edges of the top. The deal bottom is faced with a 2 ½” mahogany board that is notched around the doors and rabbeted to receive the doors. Boards (½” x 2”) with side to side grain are glued to the underside of the side edges of the bottom. Dovetails from the sides run through these boards.

Dados (23) in the sides create ledger strips and hold the four adjustable trays. The centermost shelf is glued into its dado and butt joined to the back and faced with half-round mahogany.

The oak rails of the two panel back are tenoned into the stiles and the medial stile is tenoned into the rails. The two panels are made up of several various sized horizontal butt joined oak boards which are set in dados in the stiles and rails and rabbeted on the inside face to form a flush interior backboard but are not flush on the exterior. The back panel assembly is screwed into rabbets in the top and side and to the bottom edge of the bottom board.

The rails of the mahogany panel doors are through-tenoned into the stiles. The integral carved egg and dart molding on the interior edges forms a rabbet to receive the chamfered edges of the panels which, on the inside are secured with quarter-round moldings nailed into the scalloped rabbets. A narrow beaded molding nailed to the edge of the proper left door overlaps the proper right door. Original brass inset butt hinges are secured with probable original iron screws. Lock and escutcheons are original.

On the frame, the deal rails are tenoned into the legs and chamfered vertical glue blocks reinforce each rail/leg intersection. The cabriole legs terminate in massive carved four claw feet. Diagonal braces are set into the rails about 6” from each corner. Vertical mahogany blocks (1” x 6”) butt joined to the interior edge of the back feet are glued to the back rail of the frame.

The highly carved mahogany skirts are glued to wedge shaped deal battens that are in turn glued to the front and side rails of the frame. A screw and empty screw holes in the inside face of the front and side rails suggests that the deal batten and possibly carved skirt were held on with screws as well as glue. A thin molding (3 dot-dash) is glued directly above the skirt and above it a reticulated wave is glued to a vertically grained mahogany veneer on the front and side rails of the frame. The moldings are capped with a carved, mitered quarter round molding that is nailed and possibly glued to the upper surface of the side rails and glued to the upper surface of the front rail.

The moveable cedar tray sides are dovetailed to the oak backs and nailed from below to the deal bottoms about ½” inside of the bottom’s edge. The bottoms are faced with half-round mahogany and rabbeted ½” to receive the backs which are nailed to then from the back. Baize strips (probably original) at the front of the tray bottoms are secured with brass tacks. The accompanying cloth dust covers are missing.
Label TextThis clothespress represents a late baroque form that was dramatically modernized by the incorporation of rococo carving across its deep skirt and curvilinear legs. The press is attributed to Giles Grendy (1693-1780) based on similar scalloped panels and carved skirts on his labeled work. The elaboration of the press underscored the status conveyed by owning fine clothing and textiles that were stored on sliding mahogany trays mounted inside the case.
MarkingsNone
ProvenanceS. W. Wolsey