Dust Boards

Usually the top molding as a draw is a feature found on highboys, but your piece looks too tall to be a highboy top, I think. That would be a reason to "redo" the feet, however. Have a good look at the bottom to see if it's had feet before the present ones. Also look for a shadow around the base where the top may have sat in a molding to capture it.
As far as dating it goes, check for holes for cotter pin brasses, which would indicate an earlier date.-Al
 
I have seen many examples of highboys also. Many in Miller's book but no high chests. I have seen one and I can't remember where. Maybe in Williamsburg or MESDA or someone's private collection. I would like to know where if anyone else knows. The chest did have bracket feet. I have not seen this method of extending the side down to the floor used on a high chest before to back up the brackets facade. Certainly seen it on many corner cupboards and other pieces.
 

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I would say Jeff's chest is a transitional Queen Anne (1730-1760) tall chest of drawers, transitional because of the W & M secret drawer. Any sign of bat wing brasses?  A few similar form queen anne tall chests that have sold recently

http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/5241474
http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/8381236

http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/8019536
 
Hmmmm, riven oak secondary wood huh, dang, now i am stumped. As Al & you pointed out earlier, that secret drawer is a fairly common feature on W& M highboys but your chest is clearly a tall chest form. The reason i picked Queen Anne is because I am not aware of american tall chest forms in the W&M era, naturally, that doesnt mean there were none. It could be late W & M, say 1720-1730, the feet would help alot, to bad they are missing.
 
Meanwhile, back at my chest ranch, my bid of $1630. was beat by a $1730. bid, 4 mins prior to bid dead line, naturally i was on the road at the time and could do nothing about it. Someone got a nice chest in good condition for a very reasonable price.


Off thread but there was an important piece of Americana that sold at Christies last month, a John Goddard 1765 chippendale block & shell  bureau table that sold for 5.7 million, a record for this form, the listing
http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?from=salesummary&intObjectID=5401668&sid=d18e3b87-6f8b-40b2-b209-88cd184cdba0
 

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Hey, I take back what i said about not being aware of american W&M tall chests, here's one with 5 tiers of drawers, not the usual 6 and although it doesnt say if it's american, at least someone in the world was making W&M tall chests in the period. I emailed and asked for details on this chest, the listing.
http://northeastauctions.com/search/detail.php?l=180&a=spring2011
 
Jeff L Headley said:
My earlier date comes from the rivened oak secondary wood. Just hopeing!
Philadelphians rived secondary wood at least until the end the of the 18th c.  Most common secondary seems to have been white cedar, though I've seen several mid century pieces with oak as a secondary material.

I'm not good at dating furniture.  I would look at hardware, not species or even methods with a few notable exceptions.

Regardless of the age, it's a pretty piece, Jeff and it looks old to me.

Adam
 
Philadelphians rived secondary wood at least until the end the of the 18th c.

Neat! Agrees with Adam, it's difficult to date pieces unless provenance (chain of custody) can be established which is not common on american furniture. Jeff's tall chest is a fine example of the tall chest form and does it really matter if it was built in 1720 or 1750? Not to me it doesnt.
 
This Pennsylvania walnut chest on frame is another possibility for Jeff's chest. It also satisfies Al's comments.
http://www.clprickett.com/CLP4733.htm
 

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The chest did have bracket feet. I have not seen this method of extending the side down to the floor used on a high chest before to back up the brackets facade.

I would think chest on frame unlikely if sides of chest extended down as either a back up or as 1/2 of the bracket feet themselves.
 
Neat, I am guessing E W was the original owner of this chest. Whats the restoration plan for this chest, i notice in addition to the feet, there is some drawer lip damage as well. Really fine, figured walnut in the top tier drawers, i predict this lil guy is going to look GREAT when restored.
 
On my posting #31 at the top of the chest in the mold is a notch. Could this be a plinth? What might it have had etched in it's surface? How about a nautical theme, maybe Neptune's face.  Just as a laugh if you look at the E and W with the star in between, from it's prospective, would that make this a Northern piece. E for East W for West
 
Hmmmmm, nooooo, I dont think so. Because of the riven oak secondary which was peculiar to the Philly area as Adam points out, PA seems likely as place of origin. The notch? Not a clue what it was.
 
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