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Chest

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Collection Type

  • Furniture

Date

1700-1720

GUSN

GUSN-244284

Description

Oak chest with pine top. Three recessed molded panels on front; raised panels on ends. Bands of chanel molding above and below panels, and two vertical rows on sides. No molding on ends. Legs are continuations of stiles with small flat maple ball feet on front only. Cleats for lid missing, but remnants of original pin hinges remain. Till with molded cover at right side of interior. Moldings painted black; traces of old red paint remain. Black painted branching tree on center of each end panel. Symmetrical arrangement of dots in center panel. Black dots on end panels.Missing original drawer below lower rail.

Details

Descriptive Terms

board chests
red oak (wood)
maple (wood)
eastern white pine (wood)
Chest

Label

This chest, made in Boston around 1700-1720, is missing the original drawer that filled the space below the lower rail. It is a less elaborate version of more costly, heavily carved examples. Elements such as the ball feet and elongated front panels are fashionable additions for a simple furniture form. Each of the three panels on the chest's façade displays painted foliage. A flower of painted dots graces the octagonal central panel. In the arched panels that flank the flower, branching trees rise above mounds of grass. The trees are reminiscent of the tree of life pattern that often appeared in eighteenth-century textiles.

Maker

Unknown

Location of Origin

MA

Dimensions

30 7/8 x 44 7/16 x 19 1/4 (HxWxD) (inches)

Credit Line

Gift of Mrs. Bertram K. Little

Accession Number

1961.186

Places

Possibly Massachusetts (United States)
Possibly Boston (Suffolk county, Massachusetts)
Possibly

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