Chest with Drawer
Furniture MakerPossibly made by the shop of
Peter Blinn Jr.
(American)
Date1705-1706
MediumOak primary wood, tulip poplar and pine secondary woods, iron hardware
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (overall height x width x depth): 32 9/16 x 48 3/8 x 20 1/2in. (82.7 x 122.9 x 52.1cm)
ClassificationsFurniture
Credit LineBequest of George Dudley Seymour
Object number1945.1.1114
DescriptionPainted oak and pine chest with drawer in the seventeenth century style. The arrangement of the chest with drawer consists of a chest that is about seventeen inches deep over one, full-width drawer. The 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 front of the chest with drawer has a top rail over three, recessed, panels alternating with vertical stiles; each recessed panel is outlined with molding. Below this is a second horizontal rail, over the drawer that has two, widely spaced wood knobs. Each side of the chest with drawer has a horizontal rail at the top over a square, recessed panel, over a second horizontal rail, and a smaller horizontal recessed panel. The vertical stiles at each corner of the chest with drawer extend from the top down to the floor to form plain feet. Hardware consists of a pair of cotter-pin hinges at the back edge of the top.
Painted Decoration. The chest with drawer is painted black over all the exterior surfaces. The vertical and horizontal structural elements on the front of the chest with drawer have green and yellow dots over the black background. The applied molding surrounding the panels and drawer front is painted red. The panels and drawer front are painted with green, red, yellow and white paints, over a black background. The center recessed panel is painted with the initials and date "RS/ 1706"; the number "5" is painted above the number "6". This is surrounded by a wide round border, containing a scalloped line, and diamond-shaped flowers and leaves at each corner. The two side panels each have a large tulip, with petals at each side, over a stem with smaller flowers. The drawer front has a flower in the center flanked by ameandering vine with leaves, ending in a small flower at each upper corner. The recessed panels on the sides of the chest with drawer is painted with abstract vines and leaves.
Condition: The paint is faded, and has been repainted. There is a significant gouge and much wear on the top. The cleats have been replaced. There is a minor repair to the wood above the front center panel. There is insect damage on the back and sides of the case, as well as on the drawer. The drawer runners have been repaired. The right side and bottom of the drawer have been repaired.
Design and Construction:
Case Construction. The top is constructed of one wide board with a narrow strip of wood at the back. The cleats are nailed to the top, from the top and from the bottom. The chest with drawer is formed of panel-and-frame construction. The panels fit into grooves in the rails and stiles. The rails and stiles are joined with mortise-and-tenon joins that are secured with wooden pins. The back consists of a rail over a rectangular panel of wood with chamfered edges, over a second rail, over a panel of wood. There is no bottom rail below the backboards. The bottom boards of the chest extend front to back and are attached with "V" joints. They have chamfered edges and fit into grooves in the front and side rails of the chest with drawer, and are nailed to the bottom rail at the back of the chest. There is a rail at the bottom of each side, and a rail below the drawer in front. There is no dustboard below the drawer.
Drawer Construction. The drawer is hung on runners that are nailed and fit into grooves in the front and back corner stiles. The drawer front is solid, with applied molding outlining the edge. Each pine drawer side has a wide groove, to accommodate the runner. Each drawer side is nailed into a single dovetail at the front and into a lap joint at the back of the drawer. The bottom boards run side to side, have chamfered edges, and are nailed from below to the sides of the drawer.
Painted Decoration. The chest with drawer is painted black over all the exterior surfaces. The vertical and horizontal structural elements on the front of the chest with drawer have green and yellow dots over the black background. The applied molding surrounding the panels and drawer front is painted red. The panels and drawer front are painted with green, red, yellow and white paints, over a black background. The center recessed panel is painted with the initials and date "RS/ 1706"; the number "5" is painted above the number "6". This is surrounded by a wide round border, containing a scalloped line, and diamond-shaped flowers and leaves at each corner. The two side panels each have a large tulip, with petals at each side, over a stem with smaller flowers. The drawer front has a flower in the center flanked by ameandering vine with leaves, ending in a small flower at each upper corner. The recessed panels on the sides of the chest with drawer is painted with abstract vines and leaves.
Condition: The paint is faded, and has been repainted. There is a significant gouge and much wear on the top. The cleats have been replaced. There is a minor repair to the wood above the front center panel. There is insect damage on the back and sides of the case, as well as on the drawer. The drawer runners have been repaired. The right side and bottom of the drawer have been repaired.
Design and Construction:
Case Construction. The top is constructed of one wide board with a narrow strip of wood at the back. The cleats are nailed to the top, from the top and from the bottom. The chest with drawer is formed of panel-and-frame construction. The panels fit into grooves in the rails and stiles. The rails and stiles are joined with mortise-and-tenon joins that are secured with wooden pins. The back consists of a rail over a rectangular panel of wood with chamfered edges, over a second rail, over a panel of wood. There is no bottom rail below the backboards. The bottom boards of the chest extend front to back and are attached with "V" joints. They have chamfered edges and fit into grooves in the front and side rails of the chest with drawer, and are nailed to the bottom rail at the back of the chest. There is a rail at the bottom of each side, and a rail below the drawer in front. There is no dustboard below the drawer.
Drawer Construction. The drawer is hung on runners that are nailed and fit into grooves in the front and back corner stiles. The drawer front is solid, with applied molding outlining the edge. Each pine drawer side has a wide groove, to accommodate the runner. Each drawer side is nailed into a single dovetail at the front and into a lap joint at the back of the drawer. The bottom boards run side to side, have chamfered edges, and are nailed from below to the sides of the drawer.
Status
Not on view
