Antique Chest Of Drawers

French maple musical Etui Case, Queen Anne Bureau Bookcase, Victorian mahogany shoe Snuff Box, Victorian birds-eye maple Work Box

A Regency tortoiseshell veneered and ivory banded Tea Caddy,  with silver-coloured metal monogram and stringing, the hinged cover revealing a pair of lidded divisions, on ball

feet, cm. wide. Ain.

A Regency tortoiseshell veneered Tea Caddy,  with a shaped front and two lidded divisions, on bun feet, faults, cm. wide. in.

A George III harewood and inlaid Tea Caddy,  the
hinged cover revealing a pair of lidded divisions, each inlaid with a carnation, veneers partially lacking, cm. wide. JAin.

A French maple musical Etui Case,  in the form of a miniature grand piano, the hinged cover with an ivory keyboard and revealing a mirror, tray and lined interior, together with

accessories and a compartment enclosing a mechanical musical action, on turned tapering legs, cm. long lVhin.

A George III mahogany Tea Caddy,  with lozenge and segmented veneers within a chequer banded and satinwood strung borders, the hinged cover revealing an inlaid conch-shell

medallion and six lidded canisters, with lion mask carrying handles and ball feet, cm. lft. Vin.

A Queen Anne scarlet lacquered and gilt miniature Bureau Bookcase, reconstructed, the double domed cornice above a pair of mirror doors enclosing adjustable shelves, the apron

with a pair of candle-slides, the fall revealing a stepped and fitted interior with a well, below are two short dummy drawers and two long real drawers, on bun feet, cm. high by

cm. wide. ft. by lft.

A WIIIiam IV rosewood Box,  the cube pattern rectangular top with a geometric border, cm. wide. in. and a French amboyna Tea Caddy,  with metal mounts and ebony mouldings,

bearing the label of Pelve Freres, cm. wide.

A Victorian rosewood two-
division Tea Caddy,  the
rectangular domed top with a boxwood
reserved mosaic castle bordered by
geometric bandings, the concave sides
with a broad band of floral mosaic, cm.
wide.

A Victorian birds-eye maple Work Box,  inlaid throughout with floral and geometric mosaic borders, the domed top with a sycamore reserved panel depicting a ruined abbey, cm.

wide. Win.

A Victorian framed Picture of the Pantiles,  the glazed panel within floral and geometric mosaic borders, cm. wide. Vin.
Cf. Edward H. and Eva R. Pinto, Tunbridgeware and Scottish Souvenir Woodware, plate .

A Victorian rosewood and floral mosaic Pin Cushion,  with tapered sides, cm. wide.  and a mosaic Sealing Wax Container,  of octagonal section, cm. long

A rosewood Ink Stand,
with a cut-glass bottle, the chamfered
base with a floral mosaic border, cm.
wide. in.

A Victorian mahogany shoe Snuff
Box,  with pique decoration,
cm. long Vin. and a Continental
carved hardwood miniature Clog, th
Century, .cm. long in.

A Regency tortoiseshell veneered
Tea Caddy,  of chamfered
rectangular outline, inlaid with pewter
and ivory stringing, the moulded top
revealing a twin-division interior, cm.
wide. Vin.

A George III partridgewood Tea
Caddy,  inlaid throughout
with boxwood stringing, the cavetto
moulded top revealing a twin division
interior, one gilt-metal foot detached, cm.
wide. Vnn.

English Chests on Stand

William and Mary walnut chest on stand. Cross banded drawers and top with inlaid stringing line. Note early period thumb-nail top edge moulding. Half-round moulding on carcase front. c. 1690.
Price Range: $200-$400
Value points: See section notes

William and Mary Period - c. 1690 - oyster and marquetry chest on stand of superb quality. The twist turning which remained so popular after the Restoration is well illustrated in the legs. The flat, shaped stretcher is veneered in walnut on the top face. The mouldings are first class examples of the cross-grained type of the period and the thick inlaid boxwood lines are bold examples of the type. Note that the sides are also veneered and inlaid with boxwood stringing. A half round moulding on the carcase front follows the
drawer edges.
Price Range: $800-$1,200
Value points: Quality of marquetry decoration

William and Mary Walnut and Marquetry chest on stand. Half-round moulding on carcase front around drawers. ‘Concave’ top edge moulding. Panels of marquetry on drawer fronts. Convex-fronted cushion drawer in top of chest, under top moulding. Typical period stand in solid walnut with inverted cup turning, shaped stretchers and bun feet. c. 1690-1700.
Price Range: $350-$1, 000. Large range scale accounted for by originality of base or stand.
Value points: Quality of marquetry and veneer

William and Mary oak chest on stand with drawers cross banded in walnut. The projecting lip moulding, rather like a cock bead, around the shaped frieze of the base, is a feature found on dressing tables of the period. Note the double D moulding on carcase front around the drawers.
Price Range: $160-$I90
Value points: Drawers cross banding

Queen Anne period chest on stand. First quarter 18th century. Note the fine cabriole legs and shaped base. Carcase fronts now flat veneered - no moulding - and drawers have ovolo lip moulding around edges to ‘lip’ over carcase front. Drawers cross banded. Note concave typical top moulding.
Price Range: Walnut $200 - $400. Oak $85 - $140 Value points:
In Walnut: Quality and originality of cabriole legs
In Oak:    Colour and grain  Medullary rays (see A. C. C.
Wood Identification Supplement) across drawer
fronts tend to detract from value.
Drawer cross banding: If in walnut or fruitwood  Mahogany (after 1730)  Many country versions have no cross banding or ovolo moulding on drawers.

Queen Anne period chest on stand in veneer. Note that the cabriole legs have the shell motif on the knee - a mark of quality -and web feet, an unusual feature also of quality. The piece is boldly proportioned with shaped frieze to the stand, half round or ‘D’ moulding on the carcase front around the drawers and a simple cross banding. All the mouldings are cross-grained and of good proportionPrice
Range: $300-$400
Value points: Quality and originality of cabrioles

Queen Anne country walnut chest on stand. Ogee type top edge moulding; half-round or ‘D’ moulding on carcase edges around drawers. Note the ‘half-herring bone’ cross banding around drawers i.e. the cross banding is at 45 degrees - a cheaper variation of the full herring-bone or ‘feather’ type cross banding. This type of cross banding was used on country pieces until a later date, running concurrently with full herring-bone; it is easier and simpler to produce. The square-cut cabriole legs are rather clumsy - those on the illustrated piece are not original. The top is not veneered and it has plain pine sides and drawer linings. The handles and escutcheons are period reproductions. Walnut veneer has some figure but the piece has poor patination. A patch in the veneer can be seen on the second long drawer in the top half, on the left hand side.
Price Range: $120-$150
Value points: See section notes

English Oak, Walnut and Mahogany Chests of Drawers

William and Mary period - c. 1690 - Walnut chest of drawers on bun feet, (not original). Inlaid with boxwood stringing lines in geometric pattern on top. Possibly placed originally on a low stand. Note the deep top edge moulding is more towards Queen Anne type but half-round or ‘D’ moulding on carcase fronts remains. Fairly straight-grained veneer but sides veneered and cross banded.
Price Range: 150-300
Value points: See section notes

Walnut chest of drawers of later period, c.1740-50, country made. The drawers are pine lined. The thin top edge moulding gives an example of later lack of boldness and the original double ‘D’ moulding around the drawers has been replaced by a single ‘D’ which is a little too clumsy at this width. Drawer fronts veneered in plain straight-grained walnut with little figure. Cross banding of drawers is ‘half-herring-bone’ , i.e. at 45 degrees which is typical of country pieces which emulated an earlier period. The top quartered and
cross banded in plain walnut. This piece has added interest in that the sides, instead of being plain pine or oak are, in fact, solid walnut (- factor).
Price Range: $75-$120
Value points: Treatment of sides i. e. Veneered  Solid Walnut
There are still plenty of these chests about but beware many ‘improved’ or recently veneered country pieces.

Mid-18th century mahogany chest of drawers on bracket feet. A thin thumb-nail top edge moulding round the top is echoed by the ovolo, lip moulding around the drawers. A very typical example of mid-18th century chests of fair quality and which are also found in oak and pine with occasional country variations.
Price Range: $50-$70
Value points: Figure of wood
(Faded mahogany is popular)

Mid-18th century mahogany chest of drawers. c. 1760. The four graduated drawers are cock beaded around the edges. The deep ovolo top edge moulding is repeated in the moulding around the base, above the shaped bracket feet. The figure of the wood is dark and rich.
Price Range: $60-$90
Value points: Size width. 3′ 0″ or under  2′ 9″ or under  2′ 6″ or under -
Figure of wood

A mid-18th century chest of drawers of high quality; of a design normally found in mahogany. Bold thumb-nail top edge moulding; brushing slide; chamfered and reeded sides; a fine graduation of drawer sizes; all indicate the quality of the piece. The bracket feet are boldly shaped and the plain ’swan neck’ handles are contemporary. Note the replacement of escutcheon plates by thethinthreaded key hole fittings.
Price Range: $100-$150 Value points: Brushing slide

A George III mahogany serpentine chest of drawers of a design frequently called Chippendale. Note the brushing slide and blind fretted edges. The decorated handles are of a high quality, matching the piece. The mahogany is of a fine faded colour and the mouldings and bracket feet are boldly executed. These pieces are of a heavier and bulkier character and the general rule of small size equating with higher value does not necessarily apply in this case.
Price Range: $400-$650
Value points: Brushing slide
Bold sweep of front elevation Fretted edges
Pronounced Mouldings

A late 18th century mahogany bow fronted chest of drawers with brushing slide. The four graduated drawers are cock beaded. The splayed feet have a nicely shaped apron between them. The top is cross banded with satinwood, an unusual feature of quality.
Price Range: $185-$225
Value points: Cross banding of top

A late 18th century bow fronted mahogany chest of three drawers with brushing slide, splayed feet and attractive apron.
Price range: $120 to $160
Value points: Low proportions  Brushing slide

A late 18th century serpentine fronted mahogany low chest of drawers on splayed feet. There is an inlaid line of boxwood stringing around the top edge.
Price Range: $75-$120
Value points: Size: since this is a low chest, the width is not as critical a factor in the price as with normal chests, but still affects value.

Mahogany chest on chest of drawers, or tallboy with brushing slide. The top half has a dentil frieze under the cornice and the sides are chamfered and reeded. The bracket feet are of serpentine shape. The swan-neck handles are original.
Price Range: $80-$100
Value points: Size is not such an important factor, since most pieces are fairly large and for this reason not expensive. A height of 6′ 6″ or under would however add to value.

A late 18th century mahogany bow fronted chest of drawers. This piece is of lower proportions, with deep drawers, and being thus somewhat smaller than the previous example, is in a slightly higher price range. The cock beading around the drawer edges can be seen clearly.
Price Range: $60-$85
Value points: See section notes

A late 18th century bow fronted mahogany chest of drawers. With ring handles and splayed feet.
Price Range: $45-$75
Value points: Size: Height 3′ 6″ or under

A Regency period mahogany bow-fronted chest of drawers with an applied solid twist or rope decoration down the front edge corners. The top and bottom edges are reeded. The turned legs give a hint of the rather bulbous turned examples that followed in the Victorian period. Although rather tall, the proportion of such chests is still good, particularly bearing in mind the larger houses which they were designed for.
Price Range: $5O- E1OO
Value points: Quality of wood used i. e. figure and decorative effect

Victorian mahogany bow-fronted chest of drawers on turned feet. The drawers have a heavy cock bead and the turned wooden knobs are also mahogany. The size of such chests tends to be large and cumbersome; the drawers less in number and hence deeper than earlier types.
Price Range: $10$-20
Value points: Satinwood …. Figured veneers

A Victorian chest of drawers of c. 1860, Usually made in mahogany. The ponderous moulded front of the top drawer throws the piece off balance and the bottom, with a solid flat base, raised slightly by turned knob feet, cannot hope to compensate in design. The turned wooden knobs are dear to the Victorian hearts and were frequently used as a replacement on chests of earlier periods in order to ‘improve’ them or bring them up to date - a vile practice which has ruined many fine 18th century pieces. Due to the fact that
they are extremely solidly made, regrettably large numbers of these chests have survived.
Price Range: $7-$I2
Value points: None

A very fine William and Mary period - c. 1690 - chest of drawers in oyster veneer, decorated with stringing lines in geometrical patterns. The wood used is laburnum, which gives a rich dark colour with a. hard, close grain. Even the half-round carcase edge mouldings around the drawers, the cross banding and the top and bottom edge ogee mouldings are in this wood, but the bun feet are probably walnut. Note that the sides are also decorated in the same manner as the top.
Price Range: 500-750
Value points: Quality of decoration  Decorated sides

William and Mary period - c. 1690 - chest of drawers veneered in laburnum oyster pieces. Possibly Anglo-Dutch due to low positioning of locks and the thin drawer linings. Top veneered in concentric circles of oysters. Sides also veneered in oysters with wide cross banding. Width 3ft. Note heavy top edge moulding similar to thumbnail and half-round or ‘D’ moulding on carcase front around drawers. Cross banding of drawers, top and sides in laburnum also. Handles not original.
Price Range: 250-450
Value points: Colour, patination and oyster pattern

A very fine William and Mary period - c. 1690 - chest of drawers in oyster veneer, decorated with stringing lines in geometrical patterns. The wood used is laburnum, which gives a rich dark colour with a hard, close grain. Even the half-round carcase edge mouldings around the drawers, the cross banding and the top and bottom edge ogee-mouldings are in this wood, but the bun feet are probably walnut. Note that the sides are also decorated in the same manner as the top.
Price Range: 500-750
Value points: Quality of decoration  Decorated sides

Early walnut chest of drawers - c. 1700 - inlaid with stringing lines in boxwood. Note heavy thumb-nail moulding around edge of top echoed in the moulding around the base above the bracket feet, possibly originally on low stand as feet are not original. The grain on original veneered feet is usually vertical, both to follow the direc - tion of the grain on the drawer front and because if it were cross -ways the veneer would chip off more easily. Half-round or ‘D’ moulding on carcase fronts around drawers. All mouldings cross-grained and in short lengths.
Price Range: $150-$350
Value points: Quality of decoration

Late 17th century - c. 1680 - oak chest of drawers often misnamed Jacobean. Note the simple mouldings and fielded panelling of the drawers. The chest is made in two halves for ease of transportation. The bun feet are typical of the William and Mary period. The drawers run on side rails on a rebate in the thick drawer linings, which are normally in oak.
The thin top has a thumb-nail lip edge moulding. The handles are original.*
Price Range: $80-$120
Value points: Veneered panels in other woods  Intricacy of mitred drawer fronts  Applied split baluster decoration  Decorated inlay
Original feet
*Note the deep second drawers.

A late 17th century oak chest of drawers similar to the previous example. The mitred drawer fronts are more decorated and the balance of the piece is lighter. There is a convex moulding under the top and the carcase frame continues down to form the feet; a feature of an earlier period. The knobs are not original.
Price Range: $75-$110
Value points: Veneered panels and inlaid decoration

CHESTS OF DRAWERS, 1710-1760
To many collectors not the favourite form of walnut top moulding but at 3ft. wide and with a brushing slide and good colour it can command a very substantial price. Note that the handles are not original for the marks left by the previous late eighteenth century oval plates can still be seen. A small example, say 2ft. 6ins., with glorious golden colour, could be double this price. c. 1730
A walnut chest with later walnut period features, i.e. inlaid stringing lines in boxwood, no crossbanding on the drawers, and a small double lip moulding around the drawers.
Although there are three small top drawers and the top is not quartered, this is a lower quality chest of the later walnut period. Usually the three top drawers indicate that the piece has been on a stand or lower chest, but in this case the veneered top could be an indication that this was not necessarily so. 1730-1750
This is a walnut chest which was originally mounted on a larger chest (see Chests on Chests section). It has
all the characteristics of a ‘top half’,
i.e. three small top drawers, canted reeded corners, heavy top moulding, new bracket feet and a new top surface. (The original top would have been left unveneered as it would be above eye level.)
1725-1740
Colour is a more important factor in determining value than original quality of construction.
The square solid character of the very early eighteenth century chest is well illustrated in this panel sided oak piece with double-D moulding round the drawers and thick top mouldings. c. 1720
A walnut chest of country make with a higher and narrower proportion than earlier examples. Plain thick veneers with simple half herring-bone crossbanding (or diagonal crossbanding). Made on into the later part of the century. 1740-1760
Obviously the bottom half of a chest on chest. Tell-tale signs are the sunburst on the bottom drawer, the three long drawers of almost equal depth, the low proportions and the new top. c. 1730
The end of the walnut era. Broad mouldings which soon refined down to the typical Chippendale type, no cross-banding, just a line of contrasting walnut where the herringbone would originally have been and a form of cockbeading which, instead of being round the drawers, is on the carcase. A trifle too high. c. 1740
A simpler veneered walnut bachelor’s chest, with cock-beaded drawers, on the more standard bracket feet. The handles are not original.

CHESTS OF DRAWERS - 1690-1720
A very fine oyster veneered chest of drawers on bun feet which are a bit small in proportion. Parquetry work of this kind, involving geometric designs made up from small oyster veneers, requires a high degree of skill. Note the ‘thumbnail’ top edge moulding and deep proportion. Just short of 2ft. in depth.
1690-1710
A marquetry chest of drawers in faded sycamore with panels of sharply contrasting woods. A very striking piece with the typical thumbnail moulding of the period. Marquetry in panels is associated with this earlier period, but perhaps even more desirable are the flower vases and buds in panels with green stained bone pieces inserted. Later the marquetry spread all over and gradually became thinner and rather effete. c. 1685
The classic profile of an early walnut chest  herring-bone crossbanding to the drawers, matched veneers, half-round or D cross-grained mouldings on the edges of the carcase front. The bun feet are replacements but of correct proportions. The top is quartered and cross-banded. Brasses later, keyholes original.
1700-1720
A laburnum parquetry veneer chest with inlaid boxwood stringing lines in typical patterns. Even the diamond shape inlaid in the sides is quite usual and is possibly a design left over from oak carving or applied moulding on much earlier chests. Bracket feet and walnut crossbanding are the other principal features. Handles are not original.
1700-1720
A burr yew chest on bracket feet, with boxwood banding to the drawers. The heavy top moulding is of cross-grained yew, as is the lighter bottom moulding, but the half-round on the edges of the carcase has been cut along the grain. Again, the handles are later. Price high because yew is expensive.
1700-1720
A country walnut chest with inlaid boxwood and ebony stringing lines in conventional patterns. The straight grained walnut of this more humble piece still matches. Note the original handles which are fixed through the drawer fronts with thin steel wire. The wire has often broken and been replaced by bands, but this is not very important. Buns are replacements. c.1710