American Chippendale Oxbow Antique Chest of Drawers, Connecticut c. 1780

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About the Item

While the "oxbow" or reverse serpentine facade has strong roots in Massachusetts craftsmanship, particularly in the South Eastern parts of the state, and notwithstanding the many documented examples of good similarity to the present example, this is almost without a doubt a work of Hartford County, Connecticut. The quality is above reproach in every way, utilizing generous solid planks of mahogany to form the top and sides with a single board. The top is handsomely molded and projects softly over all three sides, framing a graduated facade of four drawers with a robust undulating oxbow profile, flanked by deeply fluted corner columns with turned caps and feet, the whole resting over bold and original ogee bracket feet. The drawer construction is distinctive and highly economical; they are almost certainly formed from a thick square section of the mahogany trunk, each sawed in succession and the remainder used to block out the curve of the topmost drawer. The result is precise and impressive. Each drawer side is finished with a raised bead along the outer edge, a feature almost synonymous with case furniture of this region of Connecticut. The bottom drawer exhibits a half-moon veneer patch, probably to "heal" a knot in the wood that the craftsman found distracting to the fine parallel lines of the mahogany facade. Neat dovetails lock the white pine secondary woods together, the bottom deeply chamfered and resting in rabbet grooves with nails tacking the back edge. The brasses on the drawer fronts are the second set of brasses to be on this piece, noting the single bore behind each brass that usually indicates a prior knob; however, knobs are not correct for this period. At the bottom of the page is a brief discussion of a similar situation in a chest of the same region. The inside of the case is clean and neatly arranged, the drawer blades dovetailed into the sides of the case behind the corner columns, these continuing the cockbead molding to create a perfect frame for each drawer. Replaced runners carved from poplar are nailed inside of the case beneath the original drawer guides on each side. The top of the case is a large plank of white pine dovetailed to the top of the mahogany sides, the large plank of mahogany for the top then laid on top of this and affixed with screws set in wells from beneath; these screws are untouched and original. The back of the case mirrors the construction of the drawers, the back boards set in rabbet grooves along the sides - however, time and shrinking of grains has had it's affect on these backboards, pressing them backwards and breaking the rabbet slot along portions of both sides. As a result of this wear, the bottom two boards had to be replaced at some point in the nineteenth century. The underside of the case reveals remarkably thick molding framing the legs, these set on substantial triangular blocks secured with three large rose head nails, the feet retaining their original quarter round blocks; the back foot facings dovetail into the brace with a series of small dovetails from the back. The molding around the base is an inversion of the molding around the top, well formed with a deep cove flanked by fillets; the feet give the chest a masculine stance with their broad projection, the returns blocked out in the same manner as the top drawer, giving a third dimension to the feet that successfully completes the form. The feet rest over astragal pads. Notes: Colonial Furniture in America, Lockwood, p. 125-6 Connecticut Valley Furniture: Eliphalet Chapin and His Contemporaries, 1750-1800, Kugelman and Kugelman, p. 160-164 [discussion of the highly distinct ogival foot, featured in fig. 67; overall discussion of several oxbow pieces with flanking quarter columns], p. 362-67 [three oxbow chests discussed, two with flanking quarter columns and identical feet] American Antiques from Israel Sack Collection, Highland House, p. 1958 Condition: Brasses are period replacements, the appropriate brasses for this form - inside of drawers reveal that the chest once wore knobs, though this would be incorrect for the period and this was skillfully corrected; note the scarring behind the brasses, likely from the blemish of the prior hardware. Original locks in two drawers (no key), lock absent on bottom drawer. Feet and blocking original with some minor patching to feet; underside untouched. The lower two vertical boards on the back of the case are old replacements, the flanking rabbet groove with loss on both sides and patched at top left of back. Top right corner of molding is patched. Interior runners replaced (poplar), all other interior structure untouched. All drawers have typical repairs: replaced/spliced runners, added nails, corner blocks added to strengthen bottom of one drawer, etc. Case retains an early refinish under wax. We have a large collection of additional images documenting every detail of this piece available upon request.

Dimensions:
Height: 36.13 in (91.78 cm)Width: 41.75 in (106.05 cm)Depth: 23 in (58.42 cm)
Style:
Chippendale (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Mahogany
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
18th Century and Earlier
Date of Manufacture:
circa 1780
Condition:
See condition notes.
Seller Location:
Shippensburg, PA
Reference Number:
Seller: 1402VPP15PF1stDibs: LU105901242622

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