High Chest of Drawers

Date1750-1765

MediumCurly maple, chestnut, white pine, yellow pine, cedar, and tulip poplar.

DimensionsOH: 69 1/8"; OD: 20"; OW: 38 3/4"

Credit LineBequest of Gertrude H. Peck

Object number1980-126

DescriptionHigh chest of drawers. APPEARANCE - upper case with cornice drawer over two short over three long drawers; all drawers except cornice drawer have thumbnail molded edges and are fitted with bale and plate brasses; three long drawers fitted with locks and matching escutcheons; cornice mounted to front and both sides; upper case sits in waist molding mounted to upper surface of lower case. Lower case with one long over three short drawers; central lower drawer front with flat recessed arch; drawer details and brasses as above; front skirt with three flat arches divided by two turned drops; side skirts with single flat arches; four cabriole legs on turned pad feet; each leg flanked by cyma shaped knee blocks.

CONSTRUCTION - all elements of curly maple except as noted. Upper case sides dovetailed to yellow pine top and cedar bottom; horizontal chestnut backboards nailed into rabbeted top and sides, flush nailed to bottom; two-part cornice nailed and glued to top and sides, lower element of front cornice acts as front for concealed drawers #1; maple drawer blades set into dadoes, joint concealed on case front with 1/4" thick veneer strips; partition between drawers #2 and 3 dovetailed into drawer blades from front, joint exposed; replaced drawer supports glued and nailed into dadoes behind drawer blades; bottom drawer blade and replaced drawer supports glued and nailed to case bottom. Lower case with white pine back board dovetailed to sides; skirt, top rail, and drawer blade nailed to front edges of sides, joints concealed with veneer strip; waist molding nailed to upper edges of sides and top rail; drawer partitions dovetailed into skirt and drawer blade from front, joints exposed; drawer supports tenoned into back, half lapped into skirt and drawer blade; replaced drawer guides flush nailed to sides of case (4) and tops of lower central drawer supports (2); upper extensions of legs glued and blocked into corners of case assembly (most blocks replaced, originals of white pine); drops dowelled into lower edge of skirt through thin nailed-on plates. Drawers - #1 with chestnut sides dovetailed to chestnut back and poplar front; maple lower cornice element glued and nailed to poplar front; chestnut bottom nailed into rabbeted lower edges of front and side; flush nailed to back; chestnut runners glued and nailed to lower edges of sides; drawers #2 through 10 with chestnut sides dovetailed to chestnut back and curly maple front; chestnut bottom nailed into rabbeted lower edges of front and sides, flush nailed to back.

Woods: Primary: curly maple. Secondary: chestnut, white pine, yellow pine, cedar, and tulip poplar.
Label TextA high chest of drawers was used for the storage of clothing and textiles during the 18th century. This Rhode Island example exhibits the basic form that was used throughout New England. Based on customer or regional preferences, cabinetmakers adapted the form to have different shaped tops, skirts, moldings, legs, feet, number or arrangements of drawers, or the addition of carving such as fans or shells. While this example is attributed to Rhode Island through its regional construction characteristics (the legs are not structurally integral to the lower case) and wood choice (use of chestnut), it has a lower case design similar to many Massachusetts examples. Massachusetts and Rhode Island are contiguous and a number of cabinetmakers are known to have moved between the two. The combination of Rhode Island and Massachusetts features in one piece of furniture is therefore not surprising.
InscribedObscure pencil marks on bottom and back of drawer #2, and backs of drawers #3, 5, and 6; "6" penciled on back of drawer #4.
In pencil on backboards of lower case "Mrs. Elizabeth Fogg/ Tacoma Country Club."
In blue pencil on backboards of lower case "5323/ [indecipherable mark]/ 212"

Exhibition(s)