Antique Chest Of Drawers

OAK PARTNERS DESK, ANTIQUE AND SATINWOOD BANDED SIDE TABLE, BURR-WALNUT BUREAU BOOKCASE, CARVED OAK COFFER

A BURR-VENEERED TABLE AMBULANTE, Louis XV style, with gilt-metal mounts and three drawers, on cabriole legs, cm. wide.

A PARQUETRY PEDESTAL, Louis XVI style, with a green marble top and gilt-metal mounts, cm. high

AN OAK PARTNERS DESK, 19th Century and 18th Century, with an arrangement of fourteen drawers and a pair of cupboard doors, on plinth bases, cm. wide. by cm. deep

A MATCHED SET OF SIX ELM AND FRUITWOOD RAIL BACK CHAIRS, George III, early 19th Century and 18th Century, with solid seats and square legs joined by stretchers, including

cushions

AN ANTIQUE AND SATINWOOD INLAID SIDEBOARD, Edwardian, with a raised back and tapering legs, on spade feet, cm. wide.

A PAIR OF CARVED PEDESTALS, late th/early 19th Century and 18th Century, with composite capitals above fluted pIIIars, formerly gilt or painted, cm.

A BURR-WALNUT BUREAU BOOKCASE, Dutch, 19th Century and 18th Century style, with inlaid interior stationery compartments including simulated book spines, cm.

AN ANTIQUE BOW-FRONT SIDEBOARD, George III, with an arrangement of drawers, on tapering legs and spade feet, cm. wide.

AN ANTIQUE BOW FRONT CHEST, George III, with an arrangement of five drawers, on bracket feet, cm. wide.

AN ANTIQUE CHEST-ON CHEST, George III, of bow front form, with an arrangement of six drawers, on bracket feet, possibly reduced in height, cm. high by cm. wide.”

AN ANTIQUE AND MARQUETRY BOMBE COMMODE, Dutch, 19th Century and 18th Century style, modern, with three drawers and square faults, cm. high by cm.

AN ANTIQUE SECRETAIRE BOOKCASE, Victorian, with arched glazed doors above a writing drawer and panelled doors, cm. high by cm. wide.

A BLACK JAPANNED AND CANE CHAIR, George IV, with neo-Classical painted decoration and square splayed
legs

A PAIR OF BLACK PAPIER MACHE CHAIRS, Victorian, with pierced spoon backs, bowed cane seats and slender cabriole legs

A PROVINCIAL WALNUT SIDE TABLE, George II, with three drawers, on cabriole legs, cm. wide.

A GILT GESSO WALL MIRROR, Regency with alterations, the verre eglomise anthemion frieze panel above columnar mouldings, cm. wide.

AN ANTIQUE AND SATINWOOD BANDED SIDE TABLE, part early 19th Century and 18th Century, of bow-front form, with three drawers, on cabriole legs, cm. wide.

A LARGE MAHOGANY WRITING TABLE, Victorian, the leather inset top above four drawers, on turned baluster legs, cm. wide.

A YEW-WOOD GAMES TABLE, early Victorian, possibly Irish, the circular top with a parquetry chess-board, on a pedestal support, cm. diam,—

A CARVED WALNUT AND BEECHWOOD REFECTORY TABLE, late Victorian, on four baluster turned and square legs joined by stretchers,  cm.
long

A SET OF EIGHT DINING CHAIRS,
Edwardian, with carved cresting rails and
tapered square legs, bearing trade label,
Boardman &f Sons, London, regd.

AN ANTIQUE CYLINDER DESK,
Edwardian, inlaid with stringing, on tapering
square legs with castors, faults. cm.
wide.

AN ANTIQUE EXTENDING
DINING TABLE, Victorian, the rectangular
top including two leaf insertions, on fluted
turned legs, cm. wide. by cm. long when
fully extended

A CARVED OAK COFFER, part th
Century, with a triple lozenge panel front,
cm. wide.

A SET OF SIX MAHOGANY
DINING CHAIRS, early Victorian, with
serpentine seats and reeded turned legs

AN ANTIQUE TRAY-TOP
COMMODE, George III. with shaped apron
and square legs. cm. wvit—

AN OAK CHEST, early 19th Century and 18th Century,
with an arrangement of six drawers, on
bracket feet, cm. wide.; together with a
mahogany Step Commode, Victorian, on
turned feet, cm. wide.; and an oak Hall
Chair, late Victorian

A walnut and featherbanded Chest,
George I, formerly the upper section of a
Chest-on-Chest, with an arrangement of six
drawers, flanked by fluted corners, cm.

CHESTS ON STANDS
About 1680-1730
Many fashionable chests of drawers of this period were raised about 2 feet/60 cm from the ground on turned stands. By 1730 these seem to have been replaced by the more capacious tallboy. The information below
relates to the stands only; for details of the chest sections see under CHESTS OF DRAWERS: PANELLED OAK p.84 and CHESTS OF DRAWERS: VENEERED, p.86.
Late-17thC chest on stand of William & Mary type.
Pre-Queen Anne stands have one long (or after 1690 three short) drawer(s) supported on six turned legs joined by a platform, or turned stretchers with bun feet below. Cabriole legs with pad or hoof feet and without stretchers introduced about 1700. On both types, there is sometimes a shaped apron below the drawer(s). On three-drawer types, the central drawer is shallower than the side ones. Inverted projecting moulding at top of stand (into which chest slots) echoes similar moulded cornice at top of chest.
Early-18thc type with base in form of a lowboy or side-table.
Oak; solid walnut for legs; walnut veneer on pine for drawer sections and platform stretchers; oak for drawer linings (except for the drawer fronts).
Glued mortise-and-tenon joints. Turned legs dowelled into frame. Cabriole legs extend upwards to form corner stiles of framing.
Structural weakness and the partiality of wood-beetles for walnut have often contributed to the disappearance of the stand. The remaining chest section can easily be converted into a standard chest of drawers by the addition of a polished top  the original top being rough and concealed by the cornice and bun feet. These can often be identified by the presence of three rather than two small drawers at the top.
Drawers and drawer frieze as for chests, otherwise very plain.
Wax polish after varnish. Occasionally japanned. Spiral turnings occasionally ebonised (i.e. stained black).
VALUES
It is unusual to find a chest on stand without at least replacement feet, if not legs too. Even so, prices are well into the thousands. Replacement legs and stretchers, even if the drawer section is right, may reduce the
value by as much as 40 per cent. Fine and extensive marquetry is a huge bonus, possibly raising the price to a five-figure sum.

CHESTS: DRAWING-ROOM COMMODES
About 1750-1800
Fine quality drawing-room commode in French style, about 17 75.
Valuable and prestigious objects made for the main rooms of fine houses. Probably seldom used in a practical sense; principally valued for their fine decoration. Usually made in pairs to stand at either end of a room or against the window piers. Gradually replaced by simpler cabinets during the Regency period.
Differently proportioned to bedroom chests; usually longer in relation to height.
Two, three or four drawers, sometimes en-, closed by doors (occasionally interior shelves instead). At first in French rococo style, or bomb shape (i.e. with swelling serpentine sides), keeled corners and splayed feet
with ormolu (gilt bronze) or gilt brass mounts with matched handles. Marble or wooden tops.
Ormolu, mounted on keeled front edges of serpentine commode.
Ousted from fashion about 1770 by straight-sided semi-circular shape with straight, tapering, later turned, legs.
Fine quality woods, particularly mahogany, satinwood. Tulipwood, kingwood, harewood (green-stained sycamore), chestnut, fruit and many other woods used for marquetry and inlay. Oak when japanned. Oak and pine for carcases. Marble or scagliola (a plaster-based material imitating rare marbles) was sometimes used for tops. The latter can be plain or patterned.
Generally standard methods were employed. Mostly veneered. Bombe sections coopered or laminated beneath veneer. On mid-century examples dustboards between drawers (not a feature of French commodes until late in the century).
Many have variously arranged mahogany veneers; often geometric patterns. Before about 1770 the finest have marquetry of floral patterns, musical instruments, trophies, birds. Neo-classical inlay from about 1770
onwards of urns, shells, husks, bell flowers, acanthus leaves, sometimes shaded with scorching or overlaid with pen and ink. Oval and fan shapes were popular.
Painted decoration (not all over) included ovals containing classical figures, borders of flowers, ribbons, garlands etc. Occasionally low-relief Wedgwood plaques incorporated, with gilt brass framing.
Chinoiserie decoration (especially for bedrooms and dressing-rooms) sometimes japanned, occasionally partly composed of genuine Oriental lacquer taken from broken-up imported screens.
Polish, japanning, paint.
VALUES
A specialist market, prices in four, five or even six figures. Not objects to be purchased without expert advice.

CHESTS: MILITARY CHESTS
About 1810-1915
Teak military chest with removable bill feet.
Regulation campaign furniture for British army officers, dating originally from the Napoleonic War; and still available in virtually identical form from the Army & Navy Stores in London as late as 1915. Originally transported in green-painted pine packing-cases.
Made in two parts for easy transportation, with screw-on feet, usually of bun type, but on early Regency examples could be carved paw; some just have rectangular block, occasionally fitted with small castors. Most, but not all, have heavy brass or iron carrying-handles at sides. Corners generally protected by flush-fitting brass caps. Brass locks, escutcheons, hinges etc. Various drawer arrangements most common; two small and one long in top, two long below, all of equal depth. Back solid and polished.
Variations include:Central fall-front secretaire at top with square drawer either side.
Military chest with secretaire drawer.
Full width secretaire drawer. Fall-front section as above but containing dressing accessories.
Six or eight shallow drawers in lower half (like a plan chest) for storage of trousers.
Durable, inexpensive woods  cheap mahogany, cedar, camphor, padouk, oak. Drawer-linings of oak, pine, sometimes camphor (to repel moths). Far Eastern and Indian versions made also in teak. Modern reproductions in pine or various veneers, popularly yew.
Solid wood, only rarely veneered (some early examples with amboyna, a type of padouk). Glued dovetail construction. Indian and Far Eastern versions often crudely cut and ill-fitting (hence easily identifiable).
Generally undecorated. Occasionally brass stringing and restrained inlay found on Regency pieces.
Always countersunk brass handles, mostly of rectangular shape, attached with countersunk brass screws.
Stain and/or wax polish on early examples. French polish on many Victorian pieces.
VALUES
Disproportionately expensive to their simple appearance and straightforward construction. A secretaire drawer and a Regency date will push the price well into the thousands.

Only the later, plain versions still in the hundreds.

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  on cabriole leg stands, 1700-1750
A fine quality walnut veneered chest on cabriole leg stand, the legs have a scroll at the shoulder. The veneers on the drawer fronts are matched and the carcase edges around the drawers have double-D cross-grained mouldings. c.1720
The introduction of the cabriole leg meant that stands as well as chairs had to have the new fashion, which was unfortunate for chests are heavy, the cabriole form is not even as strong as turning and walnut is not the strongest of woods. Add to this the addiction of furniture beetles for solid walnut and it is not surprising that after 250 years of varied treatment many legs have broken. All stands should be carefully checked. Note that tops are not veneered.
A quality walnut chest on stand. It appears here with cabriole legs which have rather effete shells on the knee. The contrast between the heavy William and Mary chest and stand and the rather thin legs raises doubts. It would look a great deal happier with a turned leg stand supported by flat stretchers like 336.
c. 1715
A fine small solid walnut chest on stand with original brasses and a nicely shaped apron to the stand. The small slightly stumpy cabriole legs and the deep moulding at the join of chest and stand give it a pleasantly robust, country look. The drawer edges have an ovolo lip moulding. The walnut is heavy and dense-grained. Thought to be from the slow growing northern areas, possibly Cumbria. c.1730
An oak chest on stand incorporating a secretaire drawer. Note the well-proportioned legs ending in the typically English pad foot, and the elaborately scrolled apron to the stand. The drawers have a lip mould which overlaps the carcase edge and they are cross-banded with walnut. The secretaire interior is a very pleasant design with elegant applied pillars flanking the central door. 1730-1750
A good quality chest of well matched walnut veneers with good grain and pleasant ripple effect. The base is a bit heavy (can one see here the move towards the chest on chest). The legs are replacements and are of a design sometimes known as Hackney Road after the main area of their production. c. 1725

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  oak on turned stands,
1680-1730
Four moulded front and plain oak chests on stands, showing different forms of both drawer mouldings and stand turning.
It is nearly always the stand and rarely the chest which provides the problem of verification. Even in oak the weight of the chest proved too much for many of the relatively thin legs used, even though often the oak stands are more squat in design than the walnut ones. Usually the bottom drawer is genuine, though the legs often need close examination.
Replacement buns below the stretcher are quite common and reasonably acceptable, original buns should have some sign of age if not a touch of rot or damage.
This chest has brass drop handles, varied drawer mouldings and a half-round moulding to the carcase front. The stand has a single drawer and five robust baluster-turned legs united by a simple curved stretcher above bun feet. The panelled sides also incorporate a variation of moulding between chest and stand. A good example.
The drawer mouldings on the chest are all similar. There is a half-round moulding on the carcase front, which is repeated round the drawers in the stand although the latter are not moulded. A bold top moulding, showing later influences than the simpler design of 323, is echoed round the top of the stand but it is not a mirror image.
The stand is on six rather thin legs with inverted cup-turning and rather elongated buns and thick stretchers, but has a nicely shaped apron with a lip moulding to emphasise the ogee curves. The side of the stand is not panelled, unlike the chest, but this is a common difference as can be seen in the next two examples. Original handles and scutcheon plates are lost. The fact that the drawers in the base are not moulded like those in the top would prompt a close investigation to detect a possible marriage.
A chest on stand with plain panelled drawers and drop handles. There is a half-round moulding to the carcase front and reasonably bold top and bottom mouldings to the chest, which echo each other in a mirror image. A further moulding decorates the top and bottom edges of the stand. The sides of the chest are panelled and it has been made in two havles for ease of handling (as opposed to being cut at a later date).
The stand is on four rather weak legs joined by turned stretchers using baluster shapes. They and the stretchers are probably not original. The drawer panels in the stand, however, certainly match those in the chest.
1700-1730
A chest on stand with plain early eighteenth century drawers with no crossbanding or decoration, and fitted with later pierced mid-eighteenth century backplates to the handles. There is a double-D (or double half-round) moulding on the carcase edges of the chest which is repeated around the drawer in the stand. The sides of the chest is panelled. The top and bottom mouldings are bold, as is that around the top of the stand, which has a shaped apron like that of 324 but without the lip moulding around the curves.
The six legs are of an unusual shape, with a heavy turned knob at the top repeated on the bun feet, which are linked by a square stretcher with ogee curves shaping its outward edges. The design of these legs does not somehow ring quite true, mainly due to the unimaginative turning of the bulbous knobs. Handles later.

CHESTS  early oak with moulded fronts
A less decorated example, illustrated with one lower door open to show the three drawers fitted in the lower part. Many of the mouldings and applied split balusters are made of fruit-wood which would originally have been ebonised. The piece is typically Anglo-Dutch and the ivory and pearl inlay, of Flemish-Spanish origin, have been referred to in the introduction to this section. Notice the original iron loop handles on the drawers. c.1660
A typical early oak example in which the lower drawers are enclosed behind doors whose moulding and decoration matches that of the upper drawer. The piece is in two halves which can be lifted separately, the join being hidden by a case moulding, and the lower half is on bun feet. Note the applied decoration and the receding ‘chequer-board’ centre panel in the top drawer.
A small oak chest on bun feet missing some of its brass drop handles. There is a pleasant split bobbin decoration applied horizontally under the top and between each drawer.
The remaining decoration consists of pairs of split balusters applied vertically beside each drawer. The moulding on the drawer fronts is very simple, and the top drawer is simply panelled. Note the thicker top with its simple edge. Later handles. c. 1680
A small oak chest with fruitwood front, 34ins. wide, made in one carcase piece, with the typical deep top drawer which is left over from the two types above, where the lower drawers were cupboarded. Now, in this piece, the lower drawers have emerged in their own right and are suitably moulded. The decoration of the top drawer is interesting, with four ivory ‘buttons’ placed around an oval moulding. Note the ’stump’ feet, which are formed by a continuation of the vertical carcase frame. Handles missing. c. 1670
The simplest later form of these chests with each drawer divided into two panels by the mouldings. There is a simple half-round moulding applied across the carcase front between each drawer, a precursor of the half-round or D moulding of the walnut period. The bracket feet have been added later. Instead of the simple, thin top of the earlier examples, the top has now become thick enough to have a `thumb nail’ edge moulding around it. Replacement handles. 1700-1720
Veneered in very thick elm with fine bold mouldings not only at top and bottom but where the piece would originally have come in half. The veneers are still arranged on the drawers in two halves as they would have been had they been moulded first. Again, colour most important affect on price. c. 1680

CHESTS  mule and dower
Richly decorated with the desirable features of human figures on the stiles and inlaid decoration surrounded by two formal carved arches. The decorative effect is further enhanced by the use of diamond-shaped
alternating black and white inlaid wood. Typical of the flamboyant decoration of the period, only the bun feet and the odd-looking moulding along the side (but not the front) seem later additions. One would expect to see the end stiles continued through to make short feet like the third example on this page. c. 1610
The moulded fronts to the bottom drawers and the use of very fine inlay decorations of ivory and mother-of-pearl suggest a date about the Restoration. It is strictly not a mule chest as the middle now comes out in
the form of a drawer, a feature that may have been added later. The broad half-round moulding on top of quite a deep straight bottom edge suggests that the piece once sat on a stand. c. 1665
The ogee-shaped bracket feet, the fielded panels together with the quarter-round reeded pillars set into the end stiles, all point to a date in the third quarter of the eighteenth century. c. 1770
A plain mule chest with fielded panels and drawers. A simple oak piece that needs good colour and patination to make it desirable, unless, that is, you go through the following procedure. Remove the lid, turn the chest upside down and reverse the drawers. Cut off the legs and attach to the new base (made from floorboards). Replace the lid which now becomes the top, and make side mouldings in place of the strips which held the lid together. Turn the two end panels into doors. Complete by fitting a dresser rack, ideally with a canopy (see Dressers). Place in a provincial auction or better still a marquee sale and put a reserve of 1,500. Ask the auctioneer to catalogue it for you. Hope nobody notices the wear on the top side of the drawer linings on your “fine and unusual small canopy Welsh dresser, early eighteenth century” or best of all can’t get near enough to have a proper look. c.1720
A walnut chest on stand with bracket feet, the chest fitted with carrying handles. The piece features herring-bone inlays, crossbanding and cross-grained mouldings of the period. The price reflects the value of period walnut. 1720-1730
A lacquer chest/trunk on stand with simpler cabriole legs ending in pad feet. Carrying handles are fitted and the top is slightly domed. This shape affects the price, since the domed top does not provide a utilitarian
surface. All lacquer should be regarded with profound suspicion. 1720-1740