Images(2)

Chest on Chest

Date1760-1790

OriginAmerica, New Hampshire (probably)

MediumCherry and white pine

DimensionsOH: 92 3/4"; OW(base): 41 1/4"; OD(base): 20 1/8"

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1940-50

DescriptionAppearance: Chest on chest has broken scroll pediment with broad band of cove molding at front and sides; shallow carved pinwheels at either side of center pedestal with carved six-pointed star at center surmounted by plain ball and flame finial; matching finials at each side; straight sides; front of upper section composed of five graduated drawers with molded edges and original escutcheons and pulls; flat, fluted pilasters at each side - capitals of which extend upward to hood; bottom section has flat top with applied molding at front and sides which conforms in front to form base of pilasters; front composed of four graduated drawers; all drawers have a double bead on the top edge of the drawer sides; there are no locks on any of the drawers; straight sides; band of molding around base supported on four ogee bracket feet with scrolled and pierced pendant drop at center.

Construction:
On the upper case, the bottom is dovetailed to the sides. The tympanum is half-lapped and pegged to the sides, and is also pegged into notches in inner sides which are parallel to the outer sides. The horizontal structural top terminates over the inner sides and is probably nailed to the top edge of the inner sides from above. The inner sides are joined to the bottom with sliding dovetails.

The inside of the resulting closed box side assembly is inaccessible, but may include glue blocks to provide stability. The back is comprised of three horizontal boards chamfered to fit into dados in the sides. Eight triangular glue blocks on each side reinforce joint of the chamfered edge of the back to the sides. The top most back board is shaped to mirror the tympanum. The back is nailed from the back to the edge of the structural top and edge of the bottom.

The drawer blades are joined to the inner sides with sliding dovetails; behind them, drawer supports are nailed to the sides. A guide to prevent tipping is nailed to the sides above the top drawer.

Behind the rosettes in the pediment are 2 ½” diameter half-rounds that extend to the rear of the case. These form scrolls at the inside edges of the broken pediment and are nailed to rails that are in turn toe-nailed from the inside to the pediment back board and probably nailed under the moldings behind the rosettes to the rear of the tympanum. The top boards of the pediment are nailed to the edges of those rails, to the edges of the tympanum and back board and to the top edges of the outer case sides. The pediment’s central plinth is glued to a triangular block that is in turn nailed to the structural top. The cap for the central plinth is nailed to the top and is drilled to hold a finial. An applied round medallion carved with a six-pointed star is glued to the front of the plinth. The case’s structural top is chamfered behind the lower rounded cut-outs of the tympanum. The mitered cove molding is pegged to the front and sides. The carved rosettes at the top of the scrolled pediment are integral to the moldings. The fluted pilasters and capitals are pegged to the case bottom and pediment front and extend to the top of the cornice moldings. They are possibly glued to blocks between the inner and outer sides. Elements of the capital are pieced and nailed in place around the extension of the pilaster board. Turned finials rest in holes drilled in the top of the capitals and central plinth.

On the lower case, the top is dovetailed to the sides and the bottom rests in sliding dovetails in the sides. The three-board back is chamfered to fit into dados in the top and sides, there is evidence of it having been nailed to the edge of the bottom, but nails no longer remain. There is no evidence of glue blocks on the back of the lower case as were noted on the upper case. Drawer blades rest in sliding dovetails and drawer supports are nailed to the sides immediately behind the blades.

The two piece mitered upper molding is nailed to the upper surface of the top and is flush with the case front and sides. It functions to hold the upper case in place and conforms to the base of the upper case pilasters.

The case side extend to the floor behind the applied bracket feet. The feet are comprised of vertical blocks that are glued to the underside of the bottom and into corners formed in the back by the extended sides and back, and in the front by the extended sides and a spacer block. The decorative mitered ogee bracket feet are pegged (possibly a repair) and glued to the sides and spacer blocks. The sides and blocks are shaped to match the bracket feet and the vertical blocks are fitted with casters.

The base molding is nailed to the edges of the bottom and the ogee bracket feet are nailed to the underside of the molding. The scrolled and pierced pendent drop is nailed to the underside of the base molding.

Drawers are of dovetail construction with side-to-side grained single board bottoms chamfered to fit into dados in the drawer fronts and sides, and nailed from the underside to the edge of the backs. Drawer sides have integral double beads along the top edges.
MarkingsGeometric designs inscribed on middle pedestal block at either/side - designs similar to those carved at terminals of broken scroll pediment and on middle pedestal.