Antique Chest Of Drawers

VICTORIAN, EDWARDIAN FURNITURE, A Victorian rosewood Canterbury, A Victorian rosewood pedestal Table, Dwarf Bookcase

A George Ill-style mahogany four-poster Bed, circa 1900, with key pattern cornice and damask-lined canopy, with twin receded baluster pillars and damask drapes, the box-spring

base with a feather mattress, on square lock feet and castors, 142cm. wide; 4ft. 8in.

A George Ill-style mahogany kneehole Dressing Table, made-up, with brass carrying handles and three frieze drawers, the arched kneehole flanked by two drawers and a pair of

cupboards simulating drawers, on shaped bracket feet, 84cm. wide; 2ft. 9in.    ?150-250

A pair of Victorian walnut and they wood corner Display Cabinets, circa 1855, formerly part of a side cabinet, with ormolu mounts an inlaid with stringing and arabesques, the

bowed glazed door enclosing a velvet-lined and shelved interior flanked by four baluster turned and fluted Corinthian pillars, on a plinth base and turned feet, altered, one

cabinet with cracked glazed panel, 89cm. high by 80cm. wide; 2ft. 11m. by 2ft.

A George Ill-style mahogany
serpentine-fronted Chest, circa 1900,
with kingwood banding and satinwood
stringing, the four long graduated
drawers flanked by canted corners, on
shaped bracket feet, together with a
plate glass top, 81cm. high by 102cm. wide;
2ft. 8in. by 3ft. 4in.

A George Ill-style mahogany
framed shield-shaped Toilet Mirror,
circa 1900, the serpentine-front plinth
with three drawers and canted blind-fret
corners, on ogee bracket feet, restored,
61cm. wide; 3ft.

A George Ill-style satinwood and
painted Armchair, circa 1900, with
caned back and arms, the bowed cane
seat with a cushion, the ring turned legs
ending in brass capping and castors.

A Victorian rosewood
Canterbury, circa 1870, in the manner of
Edwards & Roberts, inlaid with satinwood
stringing, the open tier above a recess
with mirror back and scroll carved
terminals, below is a fall-front paneled
door inlaid with vase and fruit within
arabesques and pattered, the interior with
three shelves, the gadrooned turned feet
ending in ceramic castors, 97cm. high by
65cm. wide; 3ft. 2m. by 2ft.

A George Ill-style stained beech
and upholstered Armchair, made-up, in
the French Hippie white manner, the stuffed back, padded arms and bowed seat covered in blue striped fabric, on baluster turned and fluted legs.

A George Ill-style mahogany
Armchair, made-up, the leaf carved
cresting rail above a pierced and
interlaced vase-shaped splat, the slip-in
seat with gadrooned apron, the acanthus
carved cabriole legs ending in claw and
ball feet.

A Victorian rosewood pedestal
Table, circa 1840, the circular tilt-top
with a den tilled border, the gadrooned
and jeweled baluster pillar above a
carved tripod base, on claw feet and
concealed castors, faults, 135cm 4ft. 5in.
A set of twenty-eight Victorian oak rail-back Chairs, circa 1860, the stuffed leather cloth seats above an apron with quart form and lancet motifs, on ring turned tapering legs

.

A George Il-style mahogany and parcel-gilt framed Wall Mirror, modern, the acanthus scroll pediment with an eagle, the rectangular plate above a scroll apron, 91.5cm. high by

91.5cm. wide; 3ft. by 3ft.

A George Ill-style mahogany ‘D’-end twin-pedestal Table, made-up, extending with two leaf insertions and with two rail bearers, the baluster turned
pillars above tripod supports ending in rasps capping and castors, 100 by 221cm. fully extended; 3ft. 3V2in. by 7ft. 3in.

A set of six George Ill-style
satinwood Chairs, circa 1900, with
ebonized-strung borders, the shield backs
with pierced vase-shaped splats and lotus
carved surmounts, the stuffed bowed
seats covered in gold damask, on tapered
square legs and spade feet.

A George Ill-style mahogany
Dwarf Bookcase, circa 1910, with a
pierced brass gallery and satinwood
banding, the three open shelves above
tapered square feet, 92cm. high by 53cm.
wide; 3ft. by  9in.

A set of six George Ill-style carved mahogany Chairs, circa 1910, the acanthus carved cresting rails above pierced and interlaced vase-shaped splats, the individual slip-in

seats with carved cabriole legs, on claw and ball feet, bearing trade label of Graham and Banks, 445 Oxford Street, London .

A set of eight George Ill-style
mahogany Chairs, modern, including
two armchairs, the scroll and foliate
carved cresting rails above pierced
vase-shaped splats, the slip-in seats
covered in rose-pink fabric, the carved
cabriole legs ending in claw and ball feet.

A set of six George II-style
mahogany Chairs, circa 1910, the scroll
cresting rails with a receded medallion
surmount above a pierced and interlaced
vase-shaped splat, the slip-in seats
covered in pale-green damask, the
cabriole legs ending in claw and ball feet.

A set of four Queen Anne-style
walnut Chairs, circa 1900, the drapery
carved cresting rail above a solid
vase-shaped splat, with a slip-in seat, the
cabriole legs joined by a turned
‘H’-shaped stretcher, on pad feet .

A set of six George Ill-style
mahogany Chairs, circa 1900, including
two armchairs, the carved backs with
splats, the seats covered in gold brocade, the chamfered tapered square legs joined by stretchers.

A set of eight George Ill-style
mahogany Chairs, circa 1910, including
two armchairs, the carved backs with
arched cresting rails, the pierced
vase-shaped splats surmounted by a
cartouche, the slip-in seats covered in
distressed hide, the acanthus carved
cabriole legs ending in claw and ball feet.

A George II-style carved
mahogany and upholstered Library
Armchair, circa 1900, the arched back,
padded arms and stuffed seat covered in
needlework, with grotesque mask
arm-facings, the acanthus carved and
scroll apron with masks and scallop-shell
motifs, on cabriole legs and claw feet.

George IV gilt-framed convex Wall Mirror, George III carved walnut Armchair Frame, satinwood semi-circular Card Table

A George III small mahogany
Sideboard, circa 1800, with kingwood
banding and satinwood stringing, the
cutlery drawer above a tambour
cupboard flanked by a pair of deep
drawers, 90cm. high by 122cm. wide;
2ft. 11 !/2in. by 4ft.

A Regency mahogany four-tier Whatnot, circa 1810, with ring turned supports and apron drawer, on brass capping and castors, 130cm. high by 51cm. wide; 4ft. 3m. by  8m.  ?350-500

A George IV rosewood and cross banded Sofa Table, circa 1825, with two drawers, the chamfered pillar above a base, on metal leaf scroll feet and castors, leaf partially

detached, 93cm. wide when closed; 3ft.

A George III mahogany
break-front secretaries Bookcase, circa
1780, the key pattern cornice above four
astragal doors enclosing adjustable
shelves, the pedestal base with a fitted
writing drawer flanked by eight
graduated drawers, below is a shaped
apron and splayed bracket feet, restored,
244cm. high by 186cm. wide; 8ft. by
6ft.

A George III carved Settee Frame,
circa 1780, the guilloche decorated
frame with arched cresting rail and
carved pattered, the serpentine-shaped
seat above baluster turned and fluted
legs, restored, lacking upholstery, formerly
gilt.

A George III carved walnut Armchair Frame, circa 1780, in the French manner, the cartouche-shaped back and bowed seat with carved pattered, on cabriole legs, lacking upholstery,

restored.

A George III satinwood semi-circular Card Table, circa 1780, with broad banding and kingwood cross banding, the fold-over top with a medallion and revealing a green baize

lining, the tapered square legs with bell-flowers surmounted by pattered, restored, 91.5cm. wide; 3ft.

A Regency mahogany Card Table, circa 1810, the fold-over top with a green baize lining, the frieze with ebonized and satinwood strung borders, the sacred legs surmounted by

yew-wood lozenge medallions, 91.5cm. wide; 3ft.

A Regency mahogany Pedestal Sideboard, circa 1810, the sunk bowed centre with an arched back and three drawers, the pedestals each with a frieze drawer and a paneled door

enclosing a drawer, including a cellaret, on receded sacred feet, 183cm. wide; 6ft.

A set of six William IV rosewood spoon-back Chairs, circa 1835, with carved clasp-shaped mid-bars and cane seats, on lappet-clad ring turned legs .

A Regency rosewood Sofa Table, circa 1810, with two frieze drawers, the ring-turned end supports with splayed feet ending in brass paw finials and castors, 89cm. wide when

closed; 2ft. l

A George III mahogany Chest, circa 1790, the slide above four long graduated drawers, on shaped bracket feet, restored, 82.5cm. high by 86cm. wide; 2ft. 8V2in. by 2ft.

A George IV gilt-framed convex Wall Mirror, circa 1825, with dual-headed eagle surmount and acanthus apron, faults, 104cm. high by 61cm. wide; 3ft. 5in. by 2ft.        ?300-500
200    A George III mahogany Secretaries Bookcase, circa 1800, the pair of arched astragal doors enclosing adjustable shelves, the base with ebonized banding, the fitted

writing drawer above three long graduated drawers and a shaped apron, 109cm. wide; 3ft. 7in.

A George II gilt-framed Wall Mirror, made-up, the ornate pierced surmount with vase and foliate scroll motifs, the rectangular plate with margin plates, 81cm. high by 39cm.

wide; 2ft. 8in. by  32in.

A George IV carved and gilt
essay-framed convex Wall mirror, circa
825, with eagle surmount and foliate
apron, 86cm. nigh by 48cm. wide; 2ft.
by  7in.

A George III mahogany kneehole
Dressing Table, circa 1790, the frieze
drawer above a recess flanked by four
short drawers, on chamfered square legs
and later ceramic castors, 107cm. wide;
3ft. 6in.

A George HI mahogany Tripod
Table, circa 1790, the circular tilt-top
above a vase-shaped turned pillar.

A George III rosewood and
cross banded small drop-leaf Table, circa
1810, inlaid with stringing, the real and
opposing dummy frieze drawer above
tapered square legs ending in brass
capping and castors, restored, 48cm. when
closed;  7in.

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.

CHESTS  dressing
The dressing chest appears to be a Victorian invention and, although out of favour for some years, it was quite a good idea. The addition of a mirror to a normal chest of drawers was a quite common form but
sometimes the chest top was modified into a minor dressing table top with small drawers and cubby holes. A lot of such chests have had the mirrors removed to convert them into ordinary chests of drawers, but the
pine dressing chest appears to be less subject to such modification.
Two pine dressing chests with characteristic, shaped cresting rails to the mirrors, also shown under Pine Furniture, as 382. 1890-1920
A bamboo and rattan dressing chest with a small drawer under the mirror and three long drawers below. Decorative and now quite fashionable. 1890-1900
An Edwardian pedimented dressing chest, available in a stained oak or mahogany colour, with the characteristic broken pediment to the top rail of the mirror. The top of the chest has been fitted with two
small drawers under a shelf. 1900-1920
An oak dressing chest known as a ‘combination’ chest due to the tiled splashback to the washstand section, the swing mirror and the cupboard, with a towel rail to the side. A combination of washstand and  dressing chest or table with incised grooving across the drawers.  1900-1920
A white enamelled chest with mirror between turned uprights. Many such chests have had the mirror removed and been treated to the pine stripper’s caustic tank.
Another ‘combination’ chest, this time white enamelled, with tiled splash-back and towel rail. Note the shaped cresting rails above mirror and splash-back.
A dressing chest from Percy Wells’ book on furniture for small houses of 1920. The form is simplified but stiffer and rather Spartan. Utilitarian, yes; cheerful, no.
CHESTS  military
A mahogany military chest fitted with a secretaire drawer. This secretaire arrangement can be extended for the whole drawer length or confined to a smaller central section as shown here. 1845-1865
A military chest on turned feet. These chests were used by army officers up to the 1870s. The flush-fitting drawer handles and brass-reinforced corners are their characteristic features, as are the carrying handles to each half. Usually made in mahogany, but padouk, cedar and camphorwood examples are found. Now much reproduced in a variety of woods, including ‘distressed’ yew veneers and available in large quantities in
reproduced form. There is not a lot of difference in price between reproductions and 19th century examples.
1800-1870
A camphorwood military secretaire chest of Anglo-Indian origin. This example is slightly more ornate than usual, since it includes a wooden gallery rail around the top which incorporates scrolled carving for
decoration. The style of the carving derives from rococo ornamentation of earlier Victorian popularity. The central secretaire section contains a fitted interior. The brass reinforcing plates at the joints and the flush
handles are characteristic and the turned feet are removable. A high quality version in a desirable wood.
CHESTS  Wellington and specimen
A figured walnut secretaire Wellington chest with the usual turned wooden drawer knobs. Again there is a sub-classical scroll at the top of the locking side flaps like that used on 302. Similarly, the third and fourth
drawers conceal a secretaire section and are on false front which lowers to act as writing surface. The wood surfaces are more decorative and lighter in tone  hence the higher price. 1850-1880
Wellington chests should more correctly be called specimen chests, since that is what they are for. Why the Great Duke’s name has been used for them is not clear; he was an inventive man, although he disliked
inventors, but there does not seem to be any record of his hand in their design. The lockable flaps, which hold the drawers in place, might make the piece a useful campaign item but when Loudon illustrated a similar chest in 1833 the Duke had not campaigned for nearly twenty years. The type was long-lived, being illustrated by Smee (1850), Shoolbred (1876) and Light (1881).
A rather plain Wellington chest of sub-classical Loudon-like design made in mahogany. The third and fourth ‘drawers’ down are in fact false; the fronts are trompe-l’oeil on a single flap which lowers for a writing surface, revealing secretaire fittings inside.
A Wellington chest in feathered satinwood with ebony stringing lines. There is a brass gallery rail around the top. Furniture in woods with ’satin’ finishes is often associated with Holland & Sons who produced items in this style in the 1850s and 1860s.
A carved oak ‘Wellington’ chest with lion-mask carved handles to the drawers. A version of the popular form of Wellington or specimen chest which meets the vogue for carved oak furniture of medieval appearance
which started in the 1880s.
Not really anything to do with Wellington chests, but a 20th century specimen chest-onchest made of oak with wooden drawer knobs having carefully-faceted front surfaces. Very much designed in the manner of
Gimson or one of the Arts and CraftsCotswold school of the first quarter of the 20th century. 1900-1925

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.