Chest of drawers

Date1790-1815

MediumMahogany, white pine, tulip poplar, light and dark wood inlays

DimensionsOH 39 3/8" OW 42 7/8" OD 21 1/4"

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1964-234

DescriptionAppearance:
Flat, rectangular top veneered on top, front and sides; all edges of top and case bordered with lightwood stringing; straight sides; front composed of four, full-length, graduated, rectangular drawers, each drawer with veneered front surface and two narrow borders of light and dark stringing; pair of stamped, oval brasses on each drawer and central, inset brass keyhole escutcheon; deeply serpentine skirt on front and sides, the front with a projecting, semi-circular, form at center; supported on four "French feet" which kick out slightly at base.

Construction:
The mahogany single board sides are dovetailed at the top to three side-to-side white pine battens. The front-most batten functions as the front rail; the underside edges of the medial and back battens are chamfered. The three battens support front-to-back end battens that are screwed with period screws to them from the underside and in turn glued to the two board mahogany top. Adjusting for the varying thickness of the top, the PR (proper right) batten is 3/8” thick at the front and ¾” thick at the back and the PL batten is ½” thick. An additional side-to-side batten is positioned above the back batten, is miter joined to the end battens, glued to the top and with the top overlaps the back by 1”. On the interior side, the batten is ¾” thick on the proper right (PR) end and 5/8” PL. At the back it is 7/8” PR and 5/8” PL.

The sides extend below the bottom where they are shaped to form the side skirts. The two board tulip poplar bottom is set in dados in the sides with possible sliding dovetails at the front and glued from the underside to a series of butt joined rectangular chamfered blocks to the extended sides, front skirt and rear bracket feet. The shaped front skirt is additionally glued to the underside of the bottom and extends down at the ends to join with the sides, both of which are glued to vertical corner blocks which are in turn butt joined to the bottom forming the supporting front feet. The rear facing bracket feet are notched to overlap the extended sides and nailed to them. They are also glued to the underside of the bottom and to chamfered glue blocks that are glued to the bottom. As with the front feet, the bracket feet and sides are glued to a vertical corner block to form the rear feet. The outside edges of the sides and skirt are pieced with mahogany to form the flared feet.

The drawer blades are joined to the sides with probable sliding dovetails. Behind the blades, drawer supports are tenoned into the blades, set in dados and mitered at the back where they are nailed into the dados. Two drawer stops (approximately 1/8’ x 1½” x 1¾”) are nailed to the upper surface of each drawer blade. Three of the stops are possibly original. Drawer blades and supports are white pine. Drawer supports are a mixture of replacements and partial replacements (worn early material augmented with new).

The front facing edges of the front rail, drawer blades and sides are faced with cross grained mahogany, as are the front and side edges of the top, where it is trimmed on the edges with mitered holly string inlay. The front inlay on the front edge of the bottom extends down to also cover the skirt. The edges of the sides, feet and lower edge of the skirt are also trimmed with string inlay. A band of darkened holly, edged with holly string inlay is inlaid between the case bottom and the skirt and continues across the sides.

The back is comprised of three vertical tongue and groove joined boards. The two outside boards are tulip poplar; the center board is white pine. The back is nailed into rabbets in the sides, nailed at the top to the back upper batten and to the edge of the bottom.

Drawers are of dovetail construction with bottoms chamfered to fit into dados in the front and sides and are nailed from the underside into the edge of the backs. Modern rectangular glue blocks have been added to the underside of the bottom at the front and sides. Modern runners have been added to the bottom edges of the sides to accommodate wear. Fronts are white pine with mahogany veneer with holly string inlay on the edges and a double holly string inlay rectangle ¾” from the edge. Sides, backs and bottoms are tulip poplar.

Woods: Mahogany, mahogany veneer; secondary material is white pine in framing and centerboard of backboard; tulip drawer linings and side boards of backboards. Light and dark wood inlays
ProvenanceAppears to have descended in the Glen-Sanders family. No history is known about this piece. A number of bureaus and chests of drawers are listed in the various inventories associated with the family, but they are not specific.