Antique Chest of Drawers

Antique Furniture
Chests of Drawers

Chests with drawing boxes gradually evolved into the chest of drawers during the17th Century. Around the mid-century a liking for privacy or security required doors over the main drawer section, however, and a tall chest-like structure might have a full-width drawer above a pair of cupboard doors enclosing smaller drawers. Sometimes the hinged, lifting top was retained over a well above the drawers. The drawers themselves continued the early arrangement with grooves in their sides to fit bearers attached inside the carcase. Such pieces continued the weighty Stuart ornament with corbelled frieze, bevelled mouldings and occasional inlay of bone or mother of pearl.

By the 1680s, however, the chest of drawers was acquiring its common form. Some, like chests, were mounted on stands, followed in Queen Anne's reign by double chests of drawers or tallboys. By this time it was fully established as a simple, straight-fronted chest some forty inches tall with five drawers and often a flat slide above – for additional table space since it lacked a kneehole – pulled out by two tiny handles. Only the back showed the panel construction, while font and sides presented a plainly outlined, smooth-surfaced field for balanced veneers in walnut, burr elm and so on, or patterns in marquetry or japanning.

Additional details are ovolo moulding to the top edge, matched by inverted moulding on the plinth above bracket feet, which often enclose square blocks to carry the weight in place of the earlier bun or ball outlines. Some, like chests, were raised on stands. The oak drawers were now running on bearers and fitted with brass pulls and escutcheons in place of earlier turned wood knobs. This brass work itself changed entirely the 1670s and the 1700s, from pendant knobs to loops and thereafter loops and backplates reflected successive differences of mood and advances in techniques.

Other drawer detail to note includes the lap dovetailing required for veneered work on the drawer fronts and the treatment of drawer surrounds, where exposed veneer edges were subject to wear. Until about 1705 or 1710 half-round mouldings might edge the drawer openings, but by as early as the last years of the 17^th century an alternative was the double or reeded moulding. Most interesting, perhaps, was the development from about 1710 of a small lip moulding on the drawer itself, projecting around the drawer edge to hide signs of wear when the drawer was closed. This was a fore-runner of the cockbead introduced about 1730 and universal on mahogany drawers from about 1745.

Chests of drawers of the early Georgian period continued to be mainly of walnut, but in early mahogany the cornice mouldings may show dentil or key ornament, and by the 1750s – 60s canted corners might carry Chinese frets instead of fluting, harmonising with carving on top and plinth mouldings. At this time the chest of drawers might be taller, with five or six long drawers below the top half drawers, for it was essentially a useful piece: for ornamental display the rich householder chose the lower, curving version now described as a drawing room commode, although the word was used somewhat indiscriminately around 1760. The chiffonier was the 19^th-century successor to the commode.

By the 1760s the straight lines of the chest of drawers might be modified somewhat too, however, with serpentine front shaping, ogee bracket feet and occasionally a plinth base. The serpentine line brought the canted corners into greater prominence as pilasters – with architectural capitals, perhaps, or Gothic cluster-column forms. The drawers themselves, still of oak or oak lined, from perhaps 1770 show a construction changed, the wood bottom no longer running from front to back but across in two half-width panels with a central bearer to prevent sagging. The fitted top drawer with a drop front dates from about 1765 onwards, making the chest a form of bureau. One may find, too, a handsome mahogany chest of drawers with a top drawer compartmented for the toilet as a capacious dressing table for a multi-purpose room.