Antique Chest Of Drawers

 

A George III oak Dresser, A George III ivory painted Settee, A George III satinwood Pembroke Table, A Regency rosewood Games Table

A George III oak Dresser, circa
1770, the raised open-shelf back above
three drawers, on tapered square legs,
197cm. high by 156cm. wide; oft. 5l/nn.

An Italian walnut Cass one, circa
1690, hinged cover with a den tilled
frieze, the canted corners with scroll
carving and cherub heads, with mitered
moldings and carved feet, 173cm. wide;
5ft. 8in.

A Regency mahogany Wardrobe,
made-up, formerly part of a bookcase, with
receded terminals, the molded and
inlaid cornice above a pair of brass grille
doors, with pleated silk panels and
enclosing a lined interior with hanging
space, on a plinth base, 240cm. high by
150cm. wide; 7ft.

A George III ivory painted
Settee, circa 1800, the arched cresting
rail above solid vase-shaped splats with
foliate motifs, the button-upholstered
bow-fronted seat with ring turned legs
and castors, restored, 175cm. wide; 5ft. 9in.

A Regency mahogany Bedside Commode, circa 1810, with ebonized stringing, the sides with pierced carrying handles, with a cupboard above a converted drawer, on square legs,

restored, 48cm. wide

A George III mahogany Side Table, circa 1760, with two drawers, on molded and chamfered square legs,114cm. wide; 3ft. 9m.

A George III mahogany kneehole Dressing Tame, circa 1800, the frieze with a drawer, the recessed cupboard flanked by six short drawers, on shaped bracket feet, 86 by 110cm.;

2ft. by 3ft. 7in.

A George III mahogany serpentine-fronted Dressing Chest, circa 1780, with canted fluted corners, the frieze drawer with a baize-lined slide and compartments, below are three

long graduated drawers and shaped bracket feet, 81cm. high by 91.5cm. wide; 2ft. 8in. by 3ft.

A George III satinwood Pembroke Table, circa 1790, the rectangular top with broad burr walnut banding and kingwood cross banding, the whole inlaid with satinwood and hardwood

stringing, the frieze with a drawer, the tapered square legs ending in brass capping and castors, restored.

A George II mahogany kneehole Dressing Table, circa 1750, the cross banded top above a frieze drawer and apron drawer, the recessed cupboard flanked by six short drawers, on

shaped bracket feet, restored, 77cm. wide; 2ft. 62in.

A George II mahogany Bureau
Bookcase, circa 1750, the swan-neck
pediment with eagle finial, the pair of
fielded panel doors enclosing adjustable
shelves, the fall revealing a serpentine
and fitted interior with eagle-head
finials, below is an arrangement of two
short and three long drawers, on later
shaped bracket feet, faults, 240cm. high by
94cm. wide; 7ft.

A George III mahogany
break-front Sideboard, circa 1800, with
satinwood-strung borders and shell
medallions, the cutlery drawer and
arched apron drawer flanked by bowed
wings with a deep drawer and a
cupboard enclosing two short drawers,
the side with a pot cupboard, the
tapered square legs with collars, 94cm.
high by 198cm3ft.  by 6ft. 6in.

A George III mahogany Bureau,
circa 1780, the fall revealing a fitted
interior, below are four long graduated
drawers, on ogee bracket feet, distressed.

A George IV mahogany bow-front
Sideboard, circa 1825, the cutlery
drawer and arched apron drawer
flanked by a cellaret drawer and two
short drawers, the projecting corners
above ring turned legs, 174cm. wide;
5ft. 82in.

A George II mahogany
rectangular drop-leaf Table, circa 1750,
on circular tapering legs with pad feet,
92 by 116cm. extended; 3ft. by 3ft.

A Regency rosewood Games Table, circa 1815, the bowed ends with hinged covers and pierced brass gallery, the reversible top with chessboard inlay and revealing a lined

backgammon inset, the frieze with two narrow drawers, the solid end supports surmounted by an arched stretcher rail, the splayed feet ending in brass paw finials and castors,

restored, 122cm. wide; 4ft.

A George II red walnut Bureau Bookcase, circa 1740, the molded cornice above a fielded paneled door, the fall revealing a fitted interior, below are four long graduated drawers,

on shaped bracket feet, 194cm. high by 74cm. wide; 6ft. 5l/zm. by 2ft. 5in

A George IV mahogany pedestal Table, circa 1825, the rectangular top above a bold turned pillar and large molded quadruple splayed legs ending in brass capping and castors,

altered, formerly part of a larger table, 125 by 160cm.; 4ft.  by 5ft. 3in.

A George III mahogany Side Table, circa 1760, with three drawers and a shaped apron, on chamfered square legs, restored, 79cm. wide; 2ft. 7in.

A George III mahogany Drawing
Table, circa 1790, the rectangular
hinged top with gilt-tooled leather inset,
on ratchet support, the frieze with a side
drawer, the sides with saddle-shaped
hinged leaves, the apron drawer above
chamfered square legs and castors,
restored, 52cm. wide;  91/2m.

A William IV rosewood drum-top
Table, circa 1835, the tooled claret
leather-inset top above alternate real and
dummy drawers, the lotus-clad pillar
with a reform base, on bun feet and
concealed castors, 132cm. dial.; 4ft. 4in.

French carved rosewood and upholstered Suite of Seat Furniture, Louis XV-style kingwood and marquetry Writing Table, French boulle and ebonised Pier Cabinet

A French carved rosewood and upholstered Suite of Seat Furniture,  covered in nailed turquoise dralon, the moulded frames with foliate motifs, on cabriole legs, comprising: four

Salon Chairs, a pair of Armchairs and a Canape, cm. wide. ft. in.

A Dutch oak Display Cabinet-
on-Chest,  the foliate carved
domed cornice above a pair of geometric
astragal doors flanked by Corinthian
pilasters, the ogee-shaped base with a
valanced apron, the fluted canted
corners ending in splayed feet, cm.
high by cm. wide. ft. Vin. by
ft. in.

A Louis XV-style kingwood and
marquetry Writing Table,
with gilt-metal mounts, the serpentine top now with a floral embroidered inset covering an inset tooled leather writing surface, the cabriole legs ending in sabots, cm. wide.

ft. lVin.

A French rosewood and inlaid
Cylinder Bureau,  the marble
top with a three-quarter gallery above a
guIIIoche frieze, the parquetry and
marquetry fall revealing an inset slide,
four drawers and a recess, below is an
arrangement of four drawers and a
shaped apron, the square cabriole legs
ending in sabots, cm. high by cm.
wide. ft. in. by ft. Wfrxn.

A French boulle and ebonised
Pier Cabinet,  in two parts,
with gilt-metal mounts, the raised back
with a drapery surmount and open tier,
below is a door with oval panel flanked
by canted corners, on a shaped plinth
base, bearing paper labels of Passemard
Freres, Paris, cm. high by cm. wide.
ft. lin.

An Austrian mahogany Vide-
Poche,  with brass mouldings,
the oval top with a moulded gallery and
a drawer, the lyre-shaped end supports
joined by a platform with turned vase
finials, the turned end supports joined
by a pole stretcher, on castors, cm.
wide. lft. Vin.

A French boulle and ebonised
Bonheur du Jour,  with
gilt-metal mounts and canted corners,
the raised back with a pierced gallery
above a pair of doors with oval panels
and two apron drawers, the base with a
serpentined dual-action slide above a
drawer, the square cabriole legs ending
in sabots, cm. high by cm. wide.
ft. Vin.

A French mahogany and gilt-metal mounted Bijouterie Cabinet,  the bevelled glass top and bowed glazed sides with a velvet-lined interior and a glass shelf, the shaped apron

above square cabriole legs ending in sabots, cm. wide. ft. in.
H A Louis XV-style kingwood Table-en-Chiffoniere, with segmented veneers and gilt-metal mounts, the two serpentined drawers above cabriole legs ending in sabots, faults, cm.

wide.
lft. Vin.

A North Italian walnut and fruitwood serpentine-fronted Commode,  with segmented veneers, the four long graduated drawers above a shaped apron, on cabriole feet, restored, cm.

high by cm. wide. ft. in. by ft.

A Dutch mahogany Tea Table,
the top with moulded border and
projecting corners, the fold-over action
revealing a well, formerly with divisions, the
frieze with a drawer, the sides with
moulded slides, the cabriole legs joined
by an undertier, on pad feet, cm. wide.
ft. in.

A French kingwood Bonheur du
Jour,  with gilt-metal and
Sevres-style porcelain mounts, the whole
with quartered veneers, the raised back
with a pierced gallery, a pair of doors
and two apron drawers, the base with a
frieze drawer and revealing a baize-lined
slide, the square cabriole legs ending in
sabots, cm. high by cm. wide.
ft.  lin.

A French ebonised Meuble
dAppui,  inlaid with brass
banding, with gilt-metal and Sevres-style
porcelain plaques, the terminals
surmounted by caryatids, the panel door
flanked by a pair of bowed glazed doors
enclosing a velvet-lined and shelved
interior, on a plinth base and turned
feet, cm. high by cm. wide. ft. llin.
by ft.

A quantity of French ormolu and
gilt-metal Mounts,  including
mouldings

A South German or North Italian
carved giltwood and gesso Console
Table,  of serpentine shape,
with a mottled pink and green marble
top, a drawer in the frieze and cabriole
legs carved with foliage and scrollwork,
cm. high by cm. wide. ft.

A Louis XV-style parquetry
Commode,  the serpentine
top centred by a floral marquetry oval,
the front with two long graduated
drawers and bronze metal mounts, on
splayed legs ending in sabots, cm.
wide. ft. /n.

A George III-style satinwood and inlaid oval Tray,  with pierced brass gallery and brass carrying handles, cm. wide. ft. in.

A George IV ebonised and cut-brass inlaid Standish,
with brass moulded border, brass carrying handle, lidded compartment and two ink bottles, below is a drawer and bun feet, cm. wide. lft. lin.

A Victorian coromandel Games
Box,  with brass inlaid
key-pattern borders, the hinged cover
with playing card motifs, the lined
interior with compartments, accessories
and card scorers, cm. wide. llin.

A George III small tortoiseshell
veneered Tea Caddy,  of
elongated octagonal form, with hinged
cover and lidded compartment, on bun
feet,  cm. wide.

A Victorian coromandel Work
Box,  with mother-of-pearl
inlaid medallion and escutcheon, the
lined interior with a mirror, tray and
compartments, together with mother-
of-pearl accessories, cm. wide. lft.

TALLBOYS OR CHESTS ON CHESTS
About 1710-1820
Chippendale-style mahogany tallboy, about 1765-1780.
Adevelopment of the chest on stand, used in bedrooms to store clothing. Especially popular during the second half of the 18thC - from when most date - despite being too high to use fully without standing on a chair.
Formed as two chests of drawers, the upper one slightly narrower than the lower. Nearly all straight-fronted, with bracket (often ogee) feet, though some around 1760 are serpentine, and later, from about 1780,
bow-fronted, with splayed ’swept’ feet.
Upper part has two or three short drawers above three feet long. A projecting moulded cornice is common; occasionally a broken pediment. Some have a frieze too; on early examples, occasionally, a cushion frieze
conceals a drawer.
Fashionably, corners canted; carved as columns or pilasters, in the mid-century, shallow Gothic or Chinese fret, or simple reeding or fluting.
Lower chest has three long drawers; mouldings around base and top into which upper chest slots. Occasionally a cavetto moulding (semi-circular concave niche) decorated with marquetry sunburst pattern, on bottom drawer of walnut examples. Occasionally a brushing slide at top; sometimes a secretaire drawer (see DESKS, P. 111).
Drawers usually - not always - of diminishing depth within each chest. Handles sometimes aligned.
Left, Sheraton mahogany tallboy, about 1800; right, late-18thC mahogany secretaire tallboy.
Walnut veneer; mahogany (solid or veneer). Occasionally rosewood, amboyna and other highly figured woods during Regency. Sometimes country versions in oak. Oak and pine for carcases.
As for CHESTS OF DRAWERS (see p. 87). The separate projecting cornice slots over blocks glued at corners of top. Occasionally low relief carving on frieze.
Polish; (rarely) japanning.
VALUES
Even the plainest tallboy will now fetch a four-figure sum and the best quality easily five. An early date, a cavetto moulding, a secretaire drawer, and, to a lesser extent, a brushing slide, and well figured and coloured veneers, will push the price up.
MARRIAGES
In the past tallboys were less fashionable than today and many were split up and sold as two separate chests of drawers. The reverse process is now common, so watch for marriages. Look for: correct conformation of
drawers; matching timber on all sides, including backboards; identical construction of all drawers; rough, unfinished surface on tops of both parts (neither would have been visible); canted corners on top and bottom, or top only.