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2020-164, Chest of Drawers
Miniature Chest of Drawers
2020-164, Chest of Drawers

Miniature Chest of Drawers

Dateca. 1790
Attributed to
OriginAmerica, Delaware, New Castle (probably)
MediumBlack walnut and tulip poplar
DimensionsOH: 22 1/2"; OW: 8 1/8"; OD: 12”
Credit LineBequest of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph H. Hennage
Object number2020-164
DescriptionAppearance: Miniature walnut chest of drawers with a rectangular molded top of highly figured walnut with applied molding around the front and sides of top; four inset graduated drawers above a molded base, resting on ogee bracket feet; top drawer subdivided into three sections. Replaced brasses and locks.

Construction: Top and bottom half blind dovetailed to sides; bottom board is tulip poplar butt joined to about 3" of walnut along front edge; top front rail either dovetailed or tenoned into sides; segmented rectangular glue blocks with slightly chamfered inner edge in corners of top and sides (end to end) and along front rail and top (spaced); top molding nailed along front and sides of top; drawer blades either in dado or sliding dovetail in sides; front edge of sides covered in thin strip of walnut; drawer supports nailed to case sides; horizontally oriented single backboard nailed in rabbets in case side and bottom board with rosehead nails; base molding is integral to walnut boards attached to underside of front and sides; boards are mitered in the front corner and shorter tulip poplar boards extend across ends of back; ogee bracket feet are glued to underside of base molding and backed with a vertical block with chamfered inner corner flanked by two shaped and chamfered horizontal blocks; front bracket feet are miter joined; shaped walnut rear brackets are glued in rabbet in side ogee brackets; drawers have standard dovetal construction; side to side oriented bottom boards are chamfered around front and sides and in dados in the same and nailed to underside of back with rosehead nails; thin segmented rectangular blocks are glued to bottom along front and sides; top drawer is divided by two front to back vertical tulip poplar boards dadoed into drawer front and back; small blocks nailed to back of drawer act as drawer stops;Inscription(s)Red marks and numbers on backs of drawers and on top of drawer blades.ProvenanceDavid Stockwell acquired the piece in 1960; Stockwell attributed the piece to John Janvier, working in Philadelphia and Dover, Delaware, c. 1770, noting that it was always in the Janvier family until acquired by him. Leigh Keno, American Antiques.

Additional family information in object file.