Images(3)

Clothespress

Date1770-1785

OriginAmerica, Virginia, Southeastern

MediumBlack walnut and yellow pine.

DimensionsOH: 53 5/8"; OW: 41 3/4"; OD: 21 3/4"

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1984-222

DescriptionAppearance: Clothespress consisting of two full-length doors, each with a single raised panel; flat top with molded edges at sides and front; four straight bracket feet; simple base molding; four interior stationary shelves without sliding trays; two brass H-hinges on each door; two pierced and shaped brass escutcheons.

Construction: all elements of black walnut except as noted; top consists of three butt-joined boards dovetailed to sides; each side consists of two butt-joined boards; sides dovetailed to single-board yellow pine bottom; three single-board yellow pine shelves are half-dovetailed into sides and extend from case back to within 1" of front; back consists of four horizontal, lap-joined, yellow pine boards set into rabbeted rear edges of case sides and top, flush with case bottom; back attached to case sides, top, and bottom and rear edges of case shelves with a variety of old and new wrought, cut, and wire nails; top molding glued and nailed to front and sides of case and mitered at corners; cove and quarter round compound base molding glued and nailed to six 1 3/4"-wide yellow pine strips which are glued and nailed to case bottom (one short and one long strip across the front, one 7 1/2"-strip along each end of the back, and one strip between front and back strips along each side); where bottom strips meet at corners two yellow pine triangular blocks are joined to form a square and glued to case bottom; at each of the four corners four additional flat, square, yellow pine blocks are glued flush with outer edges of the 1 3/4" wide strips and partly overlapping the triangular blocks (see sketch in file); to each flat square block is glued yellow pine composite blocking for the bracket feet (all of the preceding blocking except the front and side portions of the 1 3/4"-wide strips and two of the triangular blocks was replaced by CWF conservators based on surviving oxidation and glue marks); front bracket feet each consist of two elements mitered together, glued to composite blocking, and glued and nailed to base molding; rear feet consist of walnut side elements mitered to four-sided yellow pine rear elements, all glued to composite blocking and glued and nailed to base molding and rear 1 3/4"-strips; shaped flankers on bracket feet backed with horizontal yellow pine glue blocks, chiseled off to reflect shape of flanker; each door consists of two rails through tenoned into two stiles and pinned; one panel is tongue and grooved into each stile and rail assembly; inside edges of each stile and rail quarter round molded; two brass H-hinges per door duplicate the shape, size, and method of attachment (two screws and four brads each) of the originals, as indicated by marks on the frame; one original pierced and shaped brass escutcheon attached to each door with two brads each; right door retains original brass and steel drawer lock with keyhole altered for door use; left door secured inside case by later wrought iron hook and staple mounted at level of second shelf.
InscribedFaint chalked Roman numerals for assembly at joints of top and sides.
MarkingsNone
ProvenanceFound in Providence, Rhode Island, by Kentucky antiques dealer Roland Dallaire; sold by Dollaire to source.