Blanket Chest

Date1740-1790

MediumYellow pine rails, framing and base; tulip poplar panels, elm (replacement)

DimensionsOH: 22"; OW: 46 3/8"; OD: 20 3/4"

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1930-107

DescriptionAppearance: Blanket chest, flat, rectangular top with central, rectangular fielded panel; top hinged at rear on two interior iron strap hinges; straight sides, each with central square fielded panel; rectangular front composed of two small, rectangular fielded panels, one beside the other; small, oval escutcheon at top center; interior of chest plain; base surrounded by applied step molding, cut out at bottom in elongated arch on front and sides, forming short, straight bracket feet at the corners; sides and front covered with original dark green paint; paint worn off top.

Construction: On the top, the through-tenoned and pegged rails are of yellow pine with outside molded edges and interior beaded edges. The central raised panel (probable replacement) is of four boards, three tulip poplar and one elm. It is chamfered on the underside edges to fit into dados in the internal edges of the rails. An applied molding on the underside edge of the front and side rails overlaps the case when the top is closed.

On the case, a roughly 1½” x 1½” corner has been cut out of the full length of the inner corner of the 2½“x2 ½“ stiles, each of which partially rests on the bottom and partially extends to the floor as the functional feet of the case.

The yellow pine upper and lower front and side rails are lap joined, tenoned and pegged to the stiles. A medial stile is through-tenoned and pegged to the upper rail and tenoned and pegged to the lower front rail. The tulip poplar (by microanalysis) raised panels on the sides and front have, in some cases, been slightly chamfered to fit into dados in the stiles and rails. The interior edges of the stiles and rails have integral quarter rounds with overlapping joining that gives the appearance of mitered corners.

The back is comprised of one original board and one modern replacement board. The 3/8” thick original board is nailed into rabbets in the stiles. The 1” thick modern board is rabbeted to overlap both the top of the original board and the stiles. The thicker board better supports the strap hinges that are screwed into recessed pockets and secure the top. The three board bottom is nailed from the underside to the edges of the back and the lower front and side rails as well as into notches in the rear stiles. The bottom is notched to fit around the front stiles.

The single piece bottom moldings and integral bracket feet are nailed to the edges of the bottom boards and rabbeted to overlap them on the underside. The moldings are shaped to form front and side bracket feet, and at the front corners are joined with exposed dovetails.

Extant paint suggests the chest was originally painted Prussian blue over a red primer.