Chest of Drawers as a piece of furniture occupies a unique place in the hearts.
In fact generations of people have been taught the expression “top drawer” to refer to an item of the finest quality or provenance. Then there’s the “bottom drawer” refers to a young lady’s stash of napery, silver, or bedclothes that she would use after wedding.
The History Of Antique Chest Of Drawers
Like other furniture, chests are adapted to changing tastes, styles and techniques of makers through the 17th through the 19th centuries that spans the reigns of a dozen monarchs. The first examples show the influence of the continent during the period of Charles II (1660-1685) after the restoration of the monarchy. They reflect the final flourishes of English Baroque. This is when we can see the evolution from joining to cabinetmaking.
Charles II brought in crafters from Europe who introduced European techniques that utilized readily available woods like pine and oak for the carcass. They later, veneered with the finer walnut, or similar wood, often with marquetry panels.
This chest made of two pieces is embellished with yew wood bandings as well as pieces of hardwood species laid out in a pattern that is geometric. It could have been constructed in two pieces to facilitate the ease of transport and mobility within a residence and was likely to be delivered to a manor home or similar.
The drawers are built with wide sides to hold the side runners as well as large nails that hold the drawers in place, with the bottom also attached.
In just a quarter of a century, changes in the furniture industry were evident also, and as we go through the reigns of William and Mary (1689-1702) and on to the reign of queen Anne (1702-1714) How things have changed.
Chests on stands fell out of favor and were replaced by chests on chests or tallboys.
They generally featured a flat cornice and a middle moulding to cover the gap between the distinct lower and upper sections. Veneers has become the norm in furniture that was made of cabinet and the bulkiness in the drawers was diminished to a sleeker design that was decorated with designs of veneers, instead of mouldings that were applied and panels.
A typical example of the change is the Queen Anne period chest with the patterns using oyster veneers of laburnum. The name is because when two successive cuts made from the branches were arranged in a book-like style, the design made resembles the inner patterns of an oyster shell. These straight legs of corner stiles on the previous chest were replaced with turned bun feet, and the drawer sides which were previously nail-nailed being held together by dovetailed joints.
Also, a change was made in the manner the drawer’s bottom was secured. In the past, it was secured using clout nails top boards have been cut into the sides, back and the front of the drawer, which means that the bottom edges function as runners.
In the 18th century, around mid-century, French Rococo pieces, with a bulbous design of wavy fronts and sides known as bombe chests, became fashion-forward. In England we see a lot of huge, elaborately decorated and intricately carved serpentine commodes presses or chests in various designs books, such as Chippendale’s Director, as well as Ince along with Mayhew’s creations however in this case, we are seeing the more light-hearted appearance in George Hepplewhite or Shearer’s designs.
English examples of the time were more tame and had a simple front.
In the middle of the 1800s, it was more typical to have the grain on the bottom of the drawer to extend from side-to-side, instead of from forward and back as it was previously. Cockbeading is a thin lip on the front of the drawer was a well-loved moulding in the 1760s.
The Age of Mahogany
The next technological improvement was the development of drawer bottoms, which were able to slide in from the rear of the drawer through an opening made through the drawer’s sides. The transition from mahogany to walnut gradually occurred.
In in the year 1730, mahogany began to be more frequently exported from the Caribbean as well as other varieties of exotic woods that came from South America.
From around the middle of the last quarter century the straight-fronted mahogany chest is decorated with the top of the covered in rosewood. This adds the cache. It also do a pull-out brushing slide beneath the top drawer and above that drawer’s top. Bun feet are now replaced with bracket feet, with modern swan neck handles.
Its purpose, whether it was for the bedroom or reception space isn’t known however the fast-growing consumer demand for durable furniture of high quality was immense, and there were centers of excellence in the manufacture of furniture in a variety of cities.
The Secretaire Chest
As we get closer to the 18th century, I’m awed by the inventiveness of artisans. Employing hand tools under daylight or candles they were able incorporate a variety of features into an object.
This would’ve made pleasure to listen to the conversation between patron and maker during George III’s reign , maybe requesting an antique chest, but needing a space to write within it too. It wasn’t a bureau, after all not an actual chest!
The Secretaire Chest of Drawers came into existence. It combines both needs The top drawer featuring the front opening hinged to reveal an upholstered writing surface that was lined with leather. It also has an arrangement of drawers with satinwood veneers as well as pigeon holes in the back. The drawers were positioned on delicate bracket feet that were splayed and that were joined by a bow-shaped Apron. The obround-shaped veneer panels look very attractive and help establish the date of the last decade of the 18th century.
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