Straight Fronted Chests
CHESTS straight-fronted
An early mahogany chest. The top moulding is the simple half-round which together with the bold high bracket feet can be found on later walnut examples. Fine cut-out handles which could be original. With good patination a fine piece. c.1740-1750
A good quality mahogany chest with fine faded patination. Signs of quality are the recessed top moulding (made up of the Chippendale moulding with an additional curve below), the chamfered corners with a vertical bead decoration and stop end at the bottom, and the finely moulded ogee feet. c. 1760
Typical of a group of chests with Chippendale moulding, brushing slides and ogee feet of good quality
dense grained (though the photograph exaggerates it) 385 The recessed quarter-round fluted pillar, the use of mahogany. The best ones have reeded canted corners which white stringing lines and strange little decorations at the help the price. Size of course is critical to price. bottom suggest late eighteenth century provincial workmanship. c.1750-1760
A plain mahogany chest on typical mid-century bracket feet with original swan-neck handles; the drawers have cockbeading. A design which was used for oak and proportions.
Ivory inlay keyholes usually go with stamped brass plates.
c. 1760-1780A simple small well-faded mahogany chest with well-made splay feet and apron and the unusual feature of portrait brasses. The square flat moulding on the top with a simple crossbanding and black stringing line to emphasise it suggests a later date.mc. 1800
Well figured and with slightly stilted splay feet (compare with 388 below). The apron with the shaping repeated around the sides is a pleasing feature. Overall good quality reflected in the fine section mouldings.
c. 1780
As with the bow-fronted chests so here is a small late example which might ‘improve’. One can visualise an effort to turn it into 388. cockbeading, splay feet, apron, and flat moulding. Apart from the pine drawer linings (and maybe even pine sides) what will give it away is the ‘flash Alf’ use of the matching grain. Look at the preceding three pages and notice that in the rare case where a matched grain is used, as in 374, it is done with restraint. In any event the original buns will have left big round holes which will raise
question marks. It really ought to be appreciated in its own right.
Late 19th century In top showroom condition mahogany sides and with brass handles
Rough condition and pine sides
Tags: brass plates, chamfered corners, Chests, chippendale, curve, design, DRAWERS, mahogany, mahogany chest, Oak, Original, proportions