Antique Chest Of Drawers

CHESTS OF DRAWERS: MAHOGANY
About 1730-1830
Mostly simple, undecorated pieces based on classical proportions and varying more in shape than detail or construction.
Many straight-fronted, others serpentine (often with canted corners) from about 17501800, or bow-fronted, about 1780 onwards. Three or four drawers of graduated depth.
Hepplewhite-style inlaid serpentine chest, about 1800, with ’swept’ feet.
After 1800 a pair of drawers replacing the top long drawer re-introduced. All drawers fitted with interior locks; plain escutcheons flush with surface. Cockbeading on edges until around 1790 when sometimes replaced with light-coloured stringing (occasionally combined with narrow contrasting cross-banding); ebony stringing after 1810.
Straight, lip or thumb-moulded over-hanging tops. Sometimes edge reeded after 1800. Can have pull-out brushing-slide below (actually for writing, not, as once thought, for brushing clothes).
Occasionally cabriole legs around 1750, but much more commonly bracket feet, fashionably plain before 1750, ogee from about 1750-1800. After about 1780 splayed ‘French’ or swept’ feet popular (extension of the sides and front), remaining so until about 1830. A few post-1810 chests have turned legs.
Variations (highly sought after now) include those with a secretaire drawer (see those with the top drawer fitted with dressing accessories. These normally have a number of open and/or lidded compartments and a central lift-up mirror which adjusts on a ratchet system.
Mahogany (imported mostly from the West Indies and South America).
Pine used for all surfaces to be veneered; oak (occasionally cedar) for drawer linings (pine of drawer front concealed by strip of oak). Pine also used for backboards, sometimes replaced towards 1800 by oak or low-grade mahogany.
Country versions can be all oak with mahogany cross-bandings on drawers. Some similar and very fine quality chests made around 17801810 in satinwood.
Mahogany serpentine chest of drawers, about 1760, with bracket feet.
A gentleman’s dressing chest of about 1780.
Dove-tailed carcase (joins concealed by mouldings when solid timber employed). Lapped drawer dovetails, more numerous (about five or six) and finer than previously. Drawer linings thinner, about 1/4 inch/6 mm (though 1/2 inch/ 1 cm still on country versions). Grain of linings front to back until about 1770; thereafter side to side. (NB This is not a golden rule and should not be used as conclusive evidence of age.) Large drawers with a central strengthening batten (or muntin) between two panels from about 1790. Drawer
fronts flat with cockbeading (simple, slightly protruding moulding) rebated around edge.
Top beading may extend over entire top of drawer front (taking place of former oak strip to conceal pine). Drawers running on bearers fixed between front and back cross rails, with or without separate dustboards.
By 1750, the top is a separate item, screwed on from underneath. Sometimes there is an additional solid under-top (formed by top of carcase); alternatively cross rails with large fixed corner brackets (see illustration).
Backboards planked or panelled (but still rough); nailed on. On best quality pieces from about 1780 sometimes fixed with screws.
Bracket feet not structural, but glued to blocks. (These are very prone to damage and have often been replaced.)
Watch out for chests which once formed part of a tallboy. These may be identified by features such as three drawers at the top, a deep carved frieze, and a rebated rather than over-hanging top. (Although some chests were made correctly in this way, with a ‘caddy’ top, the surrounding moulding was much finer than it would
have to be for a converted tallboy.)
Figuring of veneer often most important feature, particularly Cuban ‘curl’ or ‘flame’ mahogany.
Carving rare, occasionally low relief Gothic or chinoiserie patterns around 1750, later quarter columns, reeding or fluting on canted corners.
Handles: All types in brass; attached with bolts and circular nuts (fitted with a special tool) until about 1770; thereafter square.
Some early pieces still with bail handles with pierced backplates, but generally after 1740 simple swan-neck designs common, with two separate circular and variously decorated roses. About 1780, oval or circular stamped (or pressed) brass handles, the loops following lower line of plate.
Brushing slides first with small loops, later small turned brass knobs (about 1765 onwards).
Top, early bail handle with circular backplate; centre, swan-neck handle; below, oval and circular pressed brass handles.
Polish: Oil and/or wax combined with varnish. Great variation according to maker’s preference and variety of timber.
Varnish: Applied in several layers and rubbed down between each application; used to fill grain and produce smooth surface.
Lesser quality Honduras mahogany  which had a duller surface  either rubbed with oil, or polished with mixture of linseed oil and brick dust. Fine Spanish and Cuban mahogany sometimes lightly stained with oil prepared with crushed alkanet root for reddish finish.
Deep glossy shine subsequently retained by frequent domestic dry-rubbing or polishing with beeswax softened with spirit.
French polish: Although it produces a high sheen, it is not long-lasting.
VALUES
All but the simplest in four figures, the very best in five. Considerable sums paid for dressing chests and (rare) matching pairs.