With our highest compliments and utmost honors, Bay Colony Antiques is proud to bring to market this exceptional late 18th century antique Cherry bow front chest of drawers / dresser. The chest was made in Connecticut circa 1790-1800. We purchased this from a local home in Hartford county where it was owned by the family for almost a century and was meticulously cared for.
The chest has a shaped top that conforms to the case and has 4 graduated drawers. The brasses have been replaced, but that’s not unusual because a lot of these began their lives with wood pulls. During the late 18th century when the chest was made the majority of brass hardware used in the US was imported from England. Transatlantic trade was still a risky venture and brass hardware was not always available. The drawers have New England White Pine secondaries & were constructed with hand cut dovetails and hand chamfered panels. The drawer faces showcase an attractive figured Cherry which was one of the most desirable native lumbers & was prevalent in the area. Mahogany was still very expensive and because it had to be imported from the Caribbean it wasn’t regularly available outside of major port cities with an established cabinet making market like Boston, Philadelphia, or New York. The drawers were further decorated with cock bead molding & are flanked by reeded panels. There’s a light wood inlay along the apron and the chest rests on four turned legs that we absolutely adore because the majority of bow fronts from the area have French feet.
If you’re a collector of Connecticut River Valley furniture or have been in the market for a nice bow front chest we would recommend this chest for your consideration without hesitation. We probably furnish more early Connecticut homes than anybody else in the industry and have spent a lot of time studying the best Connecticut furniture in both public & private collections. This is without a doubt one of the finest Connecticut case pieces that we’ve encountered in years excluding a few masterpieces that are unobtainable to the majority of collectors. The chest measures 40 1/2” wide x 21 1/2” deep x 39” tall.
