Research
Of mahogany with gilt brass mounts. The whole surmounted by an urn raised on a fluted pedestal and flanked by replaced foliate swags, the swags flanked by two smaller urns raised on fluted pedestals, the frieze above the upper section fitted with three short drawers and three graduated drawers, the drawers flanked by fluted pilasters, the lower section fitted with two short drawers and three graduated drawers flanked by stop-fluted pilasters.
Provenance
A West Midlands UK Collection
The present chest follows a design for a ‘Double Chest of Drawers’ which was first published in 1787 as a plate in George Hepplewhite’s The Cabinet Maker and Upholsterer’s Guide (figure 1). This book of designs was published the year after Hepplewhite’s death by his widow. The introduction to Hepplewhite’s Guide modestly stated that the aim of the designs was “to unite elegance and utility, and blend the useful with the agreeable.”
Full research report available on request.