Images(2)

Chest on Chest

Dateca. 1780

OriginAmerica, Massachusetts, Marblehead (probably)

MediumMahogany and white pine

DimensionsOH:91 3/4" OW:46"; OD:23 7/8"

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1935-343

DescriptionAppearance: Upper case--enclosed broken scroll pediment with cove and quarter round cornice and carved rosettes; three spiral finials; top tier consists of fan-carved central drawer flanked by two smaller shaped drawers, all above four graduated full-width drawers; all drawer openings defined with applied cock bead; uppermost points of shaped drawer fronts in top tier are actually part of scroll board; tops of all drawer sides finished with double bead; drawers flanked by pair of fluted pilasters full entablatures, capitals, and bases.

Lower case--front and sides of case are of bombe form; five full-width graduated drawers, lowest three conforming to swelled case form; beading as noted above; shaped central pendant; ogee bracket feet.

Construction: upper case--all elements of mahogany except as noted; scroll board rabbeted and nailed case sides; hood braced by one horizontal and two vertical white pine boards glued into dadoes on scroll board and backboard; white pine roof nailed to backboard, scroll board, and case sides; inner surface of roof randomly lined with sheets of laid writing paper; central plinth back by vertical white pine glue block (4 3/4" high; 1/4" thick plate with molded front and sides glued to top of each plinth; rosettes secured to scroll board with single screw driven from behind; cornice nailed to scroll board and sides. Front case stiles (3" wide) tenoned to scroll board and rabbeted to front edges of case sides; pilasters and entablature glued to stiles and scroll board; waist rail tenoned to stiles; full thickness white pine dust board below top tier is set in dadoes; 3 3/4" deep white pine drawer blades with 1/2" thick mahogany facings are set dadoes into case sides behind front stiles and secured through front with nails; drawer beads glued to blades and front stiles; bead secured to scroll board above each curved drawer with nails; 1" thick top drawer dividers through-dovetailed into scroll board and tenoned into dustboard; white pine drawer supports tenoned into each blade and set into dadoes at sides; white pine drawer guides nailed to runners; three white pine back boards nailed into rabbets; white pine bottom board dovetailed to case sides.

Lower case--white pine top and bottom boards dovetailed to case sides; white pine drawer blades with mahogany facings (as above) dovetailed into case sides, joints remain exposed; bead glued to cased sides and drawer blades; bottom drawer rail tenoned into case sides; white pine drawer supports set into dadoes; waist moldings nailed to case; base molding backed by full-length white pine block glued to front and sides of case bottom; bracket feet mitered at corners and glued to base molding; each bracket backed by a vertically grained white pine block and two horizontal white pine flankers; apron pendant glued to base molding and backed with white pine glue block; rear element of each rear bracket foot recessed 1/2" from back of case and supported on exterior with vertically grained white pine glue blocks; white pine back boards (2) nailed into rabbets as above and reinforced on interior with eight white pine glue blocks.

Drawers--fronts (3/4" thick mahogany), sides (3/8" thick white pine), and backs (1/2" thick white pine) dovetailed together; drawer bottoms beveled on all four sides, slid into grooves and front and sides, and secured at rear with nails (10-15 rose head nails in drawers of upper case, 10-15 square head nails in drawers of lower case); outer surfaces of drawer sides and fronts shaped to follow contour of swelled profile, inner surfaces angled.
Label TextAlthough bombe or kettle base furniture was made in several western European centers, American production of that form was confined to Boston and nearby towns. Essentially a product of the baroque movement, the bombe case was long out of fashion abroad by the time of its greatest popularity in eastern Massachusetts, about 1780.

Like most other American examples, the swelled case sides and drawer fronts of this chest were sawed out rather than bent from steam, and the sides of the drawers curve to conform with those of the lower case. Other examples often have a less complicated structure with straight sided drawers that fit into rectangular openings in the bombe case.
InscribedThe following appear to date from the 18th or early 19th century: "2 doz", "40408", and "T/L{?}" in brown ink on sheets of laid paper lining inside of hood; "Auh{?}" in pencil on back of second drawer from top, upper case; "1" and "2" in pencil in upper surface of first...

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