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.

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.

Antique French Gothic CHESTS
Before about 1450
The lidded, box-like chest was one of the earliest articles of furniture, made over a very long period and in many parts of the world.
French oak chest with chip-carved roundels, of a type common in the 15thC.
The first chests were hollowed out logs, but more advanced types survive from the 13thC, when the Romanesque style was being overtaken by the Gothic in Northern Europe, while Italy was more influenced by Byzantine styles of the Eatsern Roman Empire (see GUIDE TO PERIODS AND STYLES P. 189).
Dug-out chest.
Local timbers, e.g. walnut in Italy, Spain, southern Germany; oak in France and the Netherlands. Iron hinges, straps, scrolls.
Dug-out: Log hollowed out with adze (axe with horizontal cutting edge). The lid was formed from a slice of tree-trunk (thus ,travelling trunk’).
Boarded (or ‘plank’): Five boards — front, back, two ends bottom — nailed together, with sixth as lid.
Housed (or clamped): Front, back and ends tenoned into mortises cut in uprights; ends sometimes strengthened with framing. Lid often pivoted with wooden pins in sockets without recourse to metal hinges.
Romanesque: Rounded arches on stumpy columns carved in rows across front, and pierced through feet.
Early Gothic: Chip-carved roundels on fronts, the placing of the roundels symmetrical but the patterns within them varying in random fashion. In France, birthplace of the style, carved figures of saints, knights in armour, pointed arches, or elaborately scrolled ironwork used both to strengthen and decorate.
Often painted in vivid colours originally but little trace of them remains. Present colour and appearance depend on environment and treatment over last 500 years, and may be dark, light or something in between.
Most chests earlier than 1450 are now in churches or museums, and when decorated examples in reasonable condition appear on the open market, they are expensive.
Roundels
Plain boarded chests were made well into the 17thC, and some have been chip-carved in recent times in the Gothic style. In genuine examples, the roundels were marked out with a compass, and faint traces of the incised circles can often be discerned. These are not usually apparent in chests carved later.
Housed construction for chest.

CHESTS: MULE, DOWER OR COUNTER CHESTS
About 1630-1800
Late-17thC oak mule chest.
Alidded chest with one or two drawers added below. A transitional piece in the 17thC, marking the change from simple chest to full chest of drawers; a country piece in the 18thC.
Thought by some to have been used by tradesmen; many have a small till or partitioned area in the drawer(s), suitable for coins. Early inventories sometimes refer to the drawers themselves as ’tilles’.
Three, sometimes two, panels, with one long or two (occasionally three) short drawers
below. In 17thC often made in two sections, a projecting mitred moulding  echoing that on base  concealing the join. Can be very simple, resembling plain panelled coffers, or more sophisticated, with applied and/or
inlaid decoration. 18thC versions have fielded, and sometimes shaped, panels. Stile, bun or bracket feet according to date.
Oak, walnut, occasionally mahogany; elm, chestnut and other local woods (though few examples survive).
Framed and panelled; earliest with pegged, but most with glued, mortise-and-tenon joints. Early drawers rebated and nailed; later dovetailed and glued (see CHESTS OF DRAWERS: EARLY PANELLED OAK.
DECORATION AND HANDLES
Carving, inlay, applied mouldings in 17thC. Turned wooden knobs replaced by brass ball handles after 1700.
Stain; wax polish.
RELATIVE VALUES
Earliest and most decorative invariably in four figures; plain 18thC in three. Prices considerably reduced if stand is wrong.
For further details of all points see CHESTS OF DRAWERS: EARLY PANELLED OAK, P. 84 and CHESTS OF DRAWERS, VENEERED.
The term ‘dower’ is self-explanatory, but is also used to describe the 18thC chest of trunk form mounted on a low frame, with a flat or domed top, heavy brass carrying handles, a shaped and/or carved apron or frieze,
and cabriole, bracket or straight feet according to date. Imported Oriental lacquer trunks were often displayed in this way (on English-made stands) in the 18thC and 19thC.
Late 17th learly- 18thC leather bunk mounted on a stand.

CHESTS OF DRAWERS: EARLY PANELLED OAK
About 1650-1730
Oak chest of about 1680, with applied, mitred and geometrical mouldings.
Distinctive, often ornamental, pieces of furniture made by traditional methods. Still produced by provincial and country makers long after more sophisticated walnut-veneered chests were introduced from the Continent in about 1670.
Various combinations of single and double depth drawers, cupboard doors enclosing drawers, and chest with hinged lid (latter early type). Four-drawer version became the norm in about 1680.
Sometimes two separate sections, join concealed by projecting mitred moulding. Shallower mouldings are found between all drawers (or cupboard).
Two small, or one long, drawer(s) at top above three long, inside seldom reaching right to back of carcase. Separate overhanging top with moulding below (thumb-nail moulding from about 1700). Similar inverted moulding at base. All parts of front (and sometimes side frieze) decorated with mitred mouldings, and often split turnings too, sometimes combined with inlay. Drawer fronts divided decoratively into two panels. Stile feet (i.e. the stiles of the carcase extend below the base moulding) until about 1690 when bun feet appeared.
Framed and panelled with glued (i.e. no longer pegged) joints.
Early drawers with thick sides (about 3/4 inch/2 cm) rebated and nailed. Thick groove in middle of side cut to run on bearers nailed to inside of carcase. Two or three crude through-dovetails (see illustration), their ends concealed on the front by mouldings, introduced about 1680, sometimes nailed for extra strength. By 1690-1700 dovetails lapped (i.e. no longer passed right through to the front) (see illustration). Linings now rebated and glued. Grain of drawers runs front to back.
Single dovetail joint
Front of drawer rebated for sides and bottom, side rebated for runner.
Oak (mostly imported Scandinavian ‘wainscot’ oak). Elm, yew and other local woods used, but few examples survive.
Ebony, ivory, bone and mother-of-pearl for inlaid decoration.
Drawer dovetail joint.
Oak chest of drawers, about 1680.
Alternative drawer supports introduced about 1660 (but not universally adopted) whereby bottom runner fixed to under side of drawer edge ran on bearer fixed at appropriate height. Drawer sides correspondingly thinner, about ‘/2 inch/I cm. Dustboards (i.e. solid shelves between the drawers) often replaced or combined with bearers after 1680.
All moulded and turned decoration glued on. Nailed rough, planked oak backboards. Bun feet dowelled in holes drilled in underside of carcase base (visible inside). Handles attached by split-pin (or tang) method.
Carcase of framed oak chest with panelled ends.
For authenticity, look for signs of genuine wear  especially on drawers and runners and natural movement of the wood with slight warping and shrinkage along the grain.
Underside of feet will be slightly frayed and the drawer fronts will have light indentations from constant knocking of pendant handles.
Applied mitred architectural mouldings on drawer fronts; on the simplest, around the edge only, on many, all over. Split turnings arranged in pairs common on stiles, until about 1680 sometimes combined with inlay of ebony, ivory, bone and moth e r-of- pear, 4. patterns of Spanish/Moorish origin (fashion introduced from Holland).
Handles: Earliest versions have exterior turned wooden knobs, interior iron loop handles. Later, iron (or brass towards 1700) drop handles, pear-shaped with decorative rosettes.
Also, centrally placed decorative escutcheons.
Often stained with oils coloured with various plant substances; then polished with beeswax softened with spirit.
VALUES
In the past, of limited appeal; more recently popular with decorators for ‘bold’ interiors.
Those with inlay and plenty of moulded and split-turned decoration four or five times as much as those with only edge mouldings to drawers. Only the latter still in three figures.
Exterior handles
Pear-drop, Axedrop, Pear-shape drop, about 1700.
Interior handles

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.

17th-18th Century English Oak, Walnut and Mahogany Chests

Early 17th century oak chest with three front panels decorated with stylised geometric carving. The rails are also carved with an arched pattern typical of the period. On this chest the plain solid sides are of walnut whi ch was much more commonly used wood than is generally supposed but of which less survived than oak due to its greater susceptibility to woodworm.
Price Range: $60-$90
Value points: Depth, intricacy and profusion of carving  The addition of human faces, figures.
Dating and initials (if genuine)

Mid-17th century oak chest with panelled front, top and sides. The front panels and rails are carved in fairly shallow decoration of a botanical nature. The escutcheon plate has been added later.
Price Range: $35-$45
Value points: Quality of carving …

Mid-17th century oak chest with fielded panels. diamond shaped inlay of light wood (box or holly).
Price Range: 35-45
Value points: Decoration  Internal herb tray
Mouldings  Original lock
Inlay of flowers etc.

Mid-17th century plain oak chest with three undecorated panels in lid and front. Ornamentation of the frieze by carving is typical of these pieces.
Price Range: $30-$40
Value Points: Decoration  Dating
Coats of Arms
Warning:- These simple chests were often ‘improved’ in the Victorian period by elaborate carving; in an attempt to simulate age, the quality of the carving looks very amateur.

Late 17th century oak chest with single drawer beneath; the evolution of the chest of drawers is commencing. The split baluster decoration and the mouldings are similar to those found on chests of drawers.
Price Range: $45-$65
Value points: Quality of mouldings and decorations

A walnut and marquetry chest of c. 1680 decorated with various coloured marquetries on an ebony ground. The panels are an unusual formation. There is a drawer in the base and the chest rests upon a separate stand. The bun feet are replacements.
Price Range: $450-$550
Value points: Complexity of colour and design of decoration

Early 18th century oak chest, with two drawers under and three fielded front panels. It is on bracket feet and shows the transition from simple lidded chests to chests of drawers.
The ovolo mouldings on the drawers suggest it is not of an earlier date.
Price Range: $25-$35
Value points: Inlay or decoration

Early 18th century chest veneered in walnut of highfigure on an oak carcase. It is decorated with herring-bone inlay. There are, carrying handles at each end; the base is separate.
Price Range: $90-$110
Value points: Figure of walnut Trunk lid

Mid-18th century elm country chest of simple construction from solid planks. Integral base and bracket feet. Common side dovetails show on the front face.
Price Range: 10-15
Value points: Mouldings around lid and base Figure and grain of wood

A walnut chest of c. 1740 date, decorated with inlaid boxwood stringing to give a cross banded effect. The small double lip moulding around the drawers, on the carcase fronts, is a later refinement of ‘double D’ mouldings of an earlierperiod. The top edge moulding is also a Georgian refinement. It is interesting to note the three small top drawers, usually a warning that the piece has been on a stand, but in this case the veneered top could be an indication that this need not be so.
Price Range: $100-$150
Value points: Quality of decoration  Veneered sides

English Chests and Chests of Drawers of 17th, 18th and 19th Century
The earliest forms of chest were simple coffer-like constructions with solid sides reaching to the floor to act as feet. By the 17th century, a joined frame construction with panels had appeared and these panels, and also sometimes the hinged lid, were decorated with carving and even inlays. The evolution of the clothing used in the later part of the 17th century made it undesirable to keep heaping clothes on top of each other inside these pieces and drawers appeared in sides to separate them.
The chest of drawers is said to have appeared about 1650 and the first forms were half chest and half cabinet. Usually there was one deep drawer either in the upper or lower part and shallower ones enclosed by doors. The drawers were grooved in the sides to run on bearers fixed to the carcase until after the Restoration, when bottom drawer runners appeared.
On the early types the fronts are often decorated with mitred geometrical mouldings and split balusters. Inlays of bone, ivory and mother of pearl are to be found on the more important pieces. With the advent of walnut fashions towards the end of the century, much more sophisticated and decorative chests of drawers, usually on stands with twist or cup-form legs appeared. The bun foot used on such chests gradually gave way, in ordinary chests to bracket feet, and to those on stands to the cabriole leg so popular in the first
half of the 18th century. Oak continued to be used during the evolutionary period of walnut from 1670-1730, after which mahogany became much more general except in country pieces, which were made in a variety of woods.
Value Points -
Oak Period (to 1690)
-Value points are given individually for early oak chests. For chests of drawers however the following points must be taken as common to all examples:-
Walnut Period (1670-1740)
-In chests on stands,the existence of an original stand gives a  factor. (The legs, stretchers and feet on such stands have nearly always been replaced due to damage and rot.
Marquetry
-Choice of veneers, figures and patination
-Original brass handles and keyhole plates
-Faded cross-grain mouldings in short lengths
-Veneered top (on chests or stands)  (this was left unveneered on pieces originally over about 5′6″ high).
-Veneered and cross banded sides  (country pieces left sidesoak or pine and the side mouldings were cut along the grain instead of across it).
-Oak drawer linings  (country pieces usually lined in pine). Original bracket or bun feet
For chests of drawers, or chests on stands the following notation applies -
-Quartered top. The best quality chests of drawers had the tops veneered in four matching pieces to form a fine formal pattern in veneers. Lesser quality pieces sometimes have the top veneered in two matching halves, while country pieces sometimes had one plain sheet of top veneer.
-’Feather’ or ‘herring-bone’ inlay or cross banding
Mahogany Period (1730 onwards)
In mahogany examples the following points may be taken to commonly affect value:-
Choice of wood and figure
(Early Spanish mahogany or decoratively figured wood add greatly to the price).
-Original handles and keyhole plates
-Oak linings
-Serpentine bracket feet on later examples
-Colour and patination
(Fading mahogany is considered particularly desirable).
For all chests, it may be taken that structural condition and originality are important value points.

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