AN AMERICAN 'CHIPPENDALE' MAHOGANY 'BLOCK-FRONT' BUREAU

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, CIRCA 1770

Details

The rectangular top above a hinged flap revealing a fitted interior with pigeon-holes and drawers, one drawer and a central cupboard door carved with fan decoration, the central door flanked by two vertical drawers carved with flaming urns above four serpentine carved drawers on a moulded base above foliate carved cabriole legs on claw-and-ball feet, the interior with restoration, the drawer handles and escutcheons replaced
44 1/4 in. (112.5 cm) high; 42 1/4 in. (106.5 cm.) wide; 22 in. (56 cm.) deep
Provenance

Mr. Lemuel Haskins, Massachusetts (1734-1841);
Thence by descent.
Acquired from the above by Israel Sack, Inc., New York.
Property of a Pennsylvania Lady; Sotheby's, New York, 19 January 1996, lot 1579.
Literature

Israel Sack, Inc., American Antiques from Israel Sack Collection, Washington, 1928, IV, P3853, p. 1030.
Lot Essay

The design, form and workmanship of this chest exhibit the highest level of furniture production in late 18th century Boston.
The blockfront façade, with its interplay of convex and concave contours was costly to make, due to the additional time required to shape the drawer fronts from solid wood and the excess of mahogany discarded as a result. As such, only the most prosperous members of society were able to afford case pieces of this style.
The present chest follows a popular blockfront chest pattern fashioned with a hinged top above four graduated drawers, a skirt pendant, and four claw feet with retracted side talons. The acanthus carving on the knees is a rare refinement known on few other Boston high style case pieces. Related foliate articulated knee carving and claw and ball feet can found on a bombe chest of drawers formerly in the Karolik Collection, now in the Boston Museum of Fine Art (Acc. No. 41.578).