Images(3)

Chest of drawers

Date1790-1800

Signed by Sylvester Henry

OriginAmerica, Connecticut

MediumCherry, white pine, light and dark wood inlays

DimensionsOH: 36": OW: 42 3/4"; OD: 20 3/4"

Credit LineBequest of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph H. Hennage

Object number1991-54

DescriptionAppearance: Chest of drawer having an ogee molded top with inlaid light and dark banding outlining top with serpentine front above a case with four shaped and graduated long drawers, the ends blocked and flanked by fluted quarter-columns, the drawers inlaid each with two rectangles with incurved corners formed by three-ply light-dark-light banding and surrounded entirely by dark wood string, the coved molded base continuing into shaped brackets and ogee stepped bracket feet; fitted with pierced drawer pulls and escrutcheons

Construction:
Chest sides half-blind dovetailed to full sub-top and bottom board; two board top screwed to subtop from underside with two closely spaced screws near the center of each side and along the front and rear; quarter columns appear to only be glued to front edge of sides and bottom board; three vertical backboards lapped and nailed in rabbet in sides and to rear edges of sub-top and bottom board; drawer blades in dado or sliding dovetail in case sides; nail or metal pin between end of drawer blade and quarter column; drawer supports and guides formed by L shaped boards tenoned into the rear of the drawer blades and into (but not through) chest the backboard; drawer guides nailed to bottom board behind quarter columns (proper right guide renailed or replaced); base molding boards attached to underside of case on all four sides (unmolded on rear) with wider front board screwed with recessed screws from underside and possibly multiple recessed nails along front of bottom board from top of same, and miter joined to side boards; rear angled pine foot brackets half blind dovetailed to side rear ogee brackets and nailed into bottom board; each ogee foot bracket composed of two laminated boards shaped as one; front feet have a vertical glue block and two horizontal glue blocks, screwed to underside of base molding board; rear feet only have horizontal glue block against side bracket, and one foot also has a small horizontal glue block against rear bracket; Drawers have standard dovetail construction with large dovetails; tops edges of sides slightly rounded; rear ends of sides protrude slightly further than drawer back to act as drawer stops; drawer front has additional white pine laminated in center to create strong serpentine shape; drawer front veneered; drawer bottom oriented side to side is chamfered along the front and sides and slid into dados in the same and nailed to the underside of the drawer back.
Label TextThis serpentine, cherry and cherry veneered and inlaid chest is a rather unusual piece of furniture. While likely made in Connecticut, the reverse serpentine chest was far more typical in that region than the serpentine and no other has been identified with similarly veneered and inlaid drawer fronts. The fact that the quarter columns are stop-fluted is again, unusual for Connecticut work, but can also be found on another serpentine front chest with a history from Lyme, Connecticut. The ogee bracket feet with the scrolls pointing inwards are reminiscent of feet produced in Colchester or New London and may represent training by the maker in New London County. This chest is signed by Sylvester Henry on the underside of the top in a hidden location. Henry, who appears to have been born in Amherst, Massachusetts in 1776, may have been an apprentice in the shop where this was made. Although rightfully proud of his work, as an apprentice he may not have wanted to (or been permitted to) sign the piece in a visible location where his master and customer could see it. Henry moved to Burlington and later Waterbury, Vermont at the end of his apprenticeship around 1797 and lived there unti his death in 1840. He became a state representative, owned a saw mill in addition to other property, and was listed as "village carpenter" on his death certificate.
InscribedIncised on underside of cherry top "Sylvester/ Henry"

Modern handwritten note in red pencil on paper taped inside top drawer: "NOTE ABOUT BUREAU/ IT IS EXPERTISED AS SERPENTINE FRONT - OGEE FEET - CHERRY WOOD/ MADE BETWEEN 1770 AND 1800 AND/ PROBABLY CAME FROM FRANCE. HAS/ BEEN IN MY FAMILY SINCE MY GREAT/ GRANDMOTHER'S DAY AND HAS BEEN/ CALLED A MUSEUM PIECE/ MARION CAMPBELL TIPTON"

X in chalk inside proper right side of case near front above second drawer blade.
MarkingsPrinted paper label pasted to underside of bottom board "RAILWAY EXPRESS AGENCY/ (532-D) Minneapolis, Minn. (W) (31-32)/ COLLECT CHARGES FROM CONSIGNEE RECEIPT NUMBER No. 2864..."
ProvenanceDescended in the family of Marion Smith Campbell Tipton (1877-1959), daughter of Charles Clark Smith, wife of Louis Campbell Tiption; Ginsberg & Levy, Inc., New York.

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