Chest with Drawer
Original OwnerOriginally owned by the
Lewis family
(American)
Furniture MakerMade by
Unknown
Date1670-1710
MediumTulip poplar primary wood, unidentified secondary wood, metal hardware
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (overall height x width x depth): 33 3/16 x 47 1/4 x 21 1/8in. (84.3 x 120 x 53.7cm)
ClassificationsFurniture
Credit LineGift of Mrs. James Boyd III
DescriptionTulip poplar chest with drawer in the seventeenth century style. The arrangement of the chest with drawer consists of a chest that is 17 3/4 inches deep over one full-width drawer. The top (replaced) has ovolo, or thumbnail, molding on the front and sides; a cleat (replaced), or strip of wood, extends from the front to back on the underside of each side of the top. The front of the chest has a top rail with a band of plain, horizontal, incised molding, painted black. Below this, the front of the chest has two equal-size recessed panels, separated by a vertical stile, also with a band of plain, vertical molding, painted black. Each panel is decorated with a geometric pattern of applied wood and molding. In the center, a raised rectangular block, painted black and with canted edges, is outlined in red molding. This is surrounded by four areas, also surrounded by red molding, between each corner of the rectangular block and each corner of the recessed panel. A piece of wood, painted black, separates each of these four areas. Below the two recessed panels is a horizontal rail, with a band of plain, horizontal, incised molding, painted black. Below this is a drawer, with two rectangular areas surrounded by molding, painted red, with a wood knob in the center; these are separated by a short vertical stile, with a band of vertical, incised molding, painted black. This arrangement give the full-width drawer the illusion of being two smaller drawers. The front of the chest and drawer are flanked by vertical stiles that extend from the top down and form the front sides of the drawer; these are decorated with a band of vertical, incised molding, painted black. Base molding is located at the bottom of the drawer; this extends around to the sides of the chest with drawer. The sides of the chest extend down to form the side skirts and feet. Each side skirt consists of an inverted 'V'; the feet are straight at the corners. Hardware includes a pair of cotter-pin hinges at the back edge of the lid. The horizontal rail above the chest and the vertical stile in the center of the drawer each has a keyhole in the center with a locking mechanism on the reverse side. There are two working keys for the locks on this chest.
Condition: The top and cleats are replacements. Some molding may have been replaced or reapplied. The backboard has been renailed. The drawer runners are replaced. The left side of the top has an area where the varnish is worn away. The chest with drawers has been repainted and refinished. The hardware is a replacement.
Design and Construction Details:
Case Construction. The applied decoration on the chest imitates panel-and-frame construction, however, this is a six-board chest. The sides fit into rabbets in the front and back of the chest with drawer. The backboard is horizontally oriented and nailed at the edges. The bottom of the chest is made of three boards that extend front to back; they are joined with a spline joint. The back of the bottom boards are nailed to the bottom of the backboard; the front of the bottom boards fit into a groove in the front of the chest. The front of the chest is constructed from a single board that is decorated with applied wood and molding. There is no bottom beneath the drawer. Each case side extends down to form a side skirt and feet. The base molding is nailed to the case sides, just above the skirt.
Drawer Construction.
The drawer overlaps the side of the chest. The drawer is hung on a runner that is nailed to the sides of the case. The drawer front is made of a single board with applied wood, molding, and base molding. The base molding on the front of the drawer wraps around to the sides. The drawer sides have a groove in the center, to accommodate the runner. The front edge of the drawer sides are nailed into a lap joint; the back edge of the drawer sides have a lap joint and are nailed to the back of the drawer. The thick bottom board runs side to side, and is nailed to the bottom of the drawer sides, back and front.
Condition: The top and cleats are replacements. Some molding may have been replaced or reapplied. The backboard has been renailed. The drawer runners are replaced. The left side of the top has an area where the varnish is worn away. The chest with drawers has been repainted and refinished. The hardware is a replacement.
Design and Construction Details:
Case Construction. The applied decoration on the chest imitates panel-and-frame construction, however, this is a six-board chest. The sides fit into rabbets in the front and back of the chest with drawer. The backboard is horizontally oriented and nailed at the edges. The bottom of the chest is made of three boards that extend front to back; they are joined with a spline joint. The back of the bottom boards are nailed to the bottom of the backboard; the front of the bottom boards fit into a groove in the front of the chest. The front of the chest is constructed from a single board that is decorated with applied wood and molding. There is no bottom beneath the drawer. Each case side extends down to form a side skirt and feet. The base molding is nailed to the case sides, just above the skirt.
Drawer Construction.
The drawer overlaps the side of the chest. The drawer is hung on a runner that is nailed to the sides of the case. The drawer front is made of a single board with applied wood, molding, and base molding. The base molding on the front of the drawer wraps around to the sides. The drawer sides have a groove in the center, to accommodate the runner. The front edge of the drawer sides are nailed into a lap joint; the back edge of the drawer sides have a lap joint and are nailed to the back of the drawer. The thick bottom board runs side to side, and is nailed to the bottom of the drawer sides, back and front.
Object number1981.92.0
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