Chest with Drawers
Furniture MakerMade by
Unknown
Date1680-1710
MediumOak and yellow pine primary wood, maple, cedar and chestnut secondary woods, iron hardware
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (height x width x depth): 37 3/4 x 45 7/8 x 19 3/8in. (95.9 x 116.5 x 49.2cm)
ClassificationsFurniture
Credit LineGift of George H. Gilman, Jr.
Object number1981.123.0
DescriptionOak chest with drawers, or sunflower chest, in the seventeenth century style. The arrangement of the chest with drawers consists of a chest that is 15 1/4 inches deep over two, full-width drawers. The yellow pine top has ovolo, or thumbnail, molding on the front and sides; a cleat, or strip of wood, extends from the front to back on the underside of each side of the top. The chest has a narrow lidded till on the interior right side. The top, front of the chest has four evenly spaced bosses, or applied oval ornaments, that are painted black. Below this, the front of the chest has three, recessed, panels alternating with single or paired, applied, vertical, split spindles, painted black. The three panels between the four front vertical stiles are carved with floral motifs on a punched, or textured, background. The center panel has triangular pieces of wood at each corner that are painted black; these create an octagonal carved area in the center that is outlined in molding, painted red with clusters of black lines. The carving on the center panel consists of three carved sunflowers with tulips between. The left and right panel are each outlined in molding, painted red with clusters of black lines. The left and right panels each have a side, stylized tulip with incised vertical lines over a stem and additional tulips. Below the row of three panels is applied molding, painted black, that extends around the sides of the chest with drawers. Below this is a drawer, a second band of horizontal, applied molding, over a second drawer, over base molding, also painted black, that extends around to the sides of the chest with drawers. Each drawer has applied decoration to imitate two drawers in a line. The center of each drawer is decorated with two small, applied split spindles, painted black. This is flanked by an elongated, octagonal area surrounded with red painted molding and black applied triangular blocks at each corner. The center of each octagonal area has a small wood knob flanked by a tilted boss, or applied oval, that is painted black. Each drawer is flanked by two small, applied, split spindles; these are applied to the corner stiles. Each side of the chest with drawers has a horizontal rail at the top, center and bottom, to correspond to the location of the rails on the front. Between the top and center rail is a panel with a boss in the center, flanked by octagonal molding that is painted red, with applied, black blocks of wood at the corners. There is a boss in the center of the top panel. Below the center rail is a half-height, vertical, stile flanked by a plain panel, outlined in red molding. The plain, rectangular feet are formed from the corner stiles, which extend the full height of the case. Hardware includes a pair of cotter-pin hinges at the back edge of the lid. An oval brass lock escutcheon is located at the center of the top, front rail. There is one working key for this lock.
Condition: The cleats and lidded till are replaced. Some applied molding and ornaments, as well as a panel, have been reattached to the chest with drawers. The lower right corner block in the center panel is replaced. The mortise-and-tenon joint in the middle of the back right corner stile is cracked. A lower panel and rail on the back of the chest with drawers is missing. The chest has been refinished and repainted. The escutcheon is replaced.
Design and Construction Details:
Case Construction. The chest is formed of panel-and-frame construction. The panels fit into grooves in the rails and stiles. The rails are joined to the stiles with mortise-and-tenon joints that are secured with a pair of wooden pins. The back consists of a horizontal rectangular panel with chamfered edges and a rail above and below. The side and bottom of the till fit into grooves in the interior sides of the chest. The lid of the till is flat. The bottom of the chest consists of three boards that extend front to back and are joined with a "V" joint. These boards have a chamfered edge, slide into a groove in the middle rail at the front and sides, and are nailed to the underside of the lowest rail at the back. There is no dust board below the lowest drawer.
Drawer Construction. The drawer divider is tenoned into the corner stiles and secured with wooden pins. The drawers are hung on runners that are nailed and fit into grooves in the front and back corner stiles. The drawer fronts are solid, with applied decoration described above. The drawer sides have a side groove, to accommodate the runner. They are nailed into lap joints on the corners of the front and back of the drawer. The bottom boards run side to side and have chamfered edges. They fit into a groove in the front and are nailed from below to the sides and back of each drawer. The sides, back and bottom of the drawers are formed of thick boards.
Condition: The cleats and lidded till are replaced. Some applied molding and ornaments, as well as a panel, have been reattached to the chest with drawers. The lower right corner block in the center panel is replaced. The mortise-and-tenon joint in the middle of the back right corner stile is cracked. A lower panel and rail on the back of the chest with drawers is missing. The chest has been refinished and repainted. The escutcheon is replaced.
Design and Construction Details:
Case Construction. The chest is formed of panel-and-frame construction. The panels fit into grooves in the rails and stiles. The rails are joined to the stiles with mortise-and-tenon joints that are secured with a pair of wooden pins. The back consists of a horizontal rectangular panel with chamfered edges and a rail above and below. The side and bottom of the till fit into grooves in the interior sides of the chest. The lid of the till is flat. The bottom of the chest consists of three boards that extend front to back and are joined with a "V" joint. These boards have a chamfered edge, slide into a groove in the middle rail at the front and sides, and are nailed to the underside of the lowest rail at the back. There is no dust board below the lowest drawer.
Drawer Construction. The drawer divider is tenoned into the corner stiles and secured with wooden pins. The drawers are hung on runners that are nailed and fit into grooves in the front and back corner stiles. The drawer fronts are solid, with applied decoration described above. The drawer sides have a side groove, to accommodate the runner. They are nailed into lap joints on the corners of the front and back of the drawer. The bottom boards run side to side and have chamfered edges. They fit into a groove in the front and are nailed from below to the sides and back of each drawer. The sides, back and bottom of the drawers are formed of thick boards.
Status
Not on view
