With our highest compliments Bay Colony Antiques takes the utmost pleasure in presenting for sale one of the absolute finest southern chest of drawers we have ever had the privilege of bringing to market. The chest of drawers was made at the height of the American federal period at the turn of the 19th century circa 1790 - 1815 and commands the sophistication and superiority of design this era is synonymous with. This dresser is constructed with premium old growth cherry wood and contrasted marvelously by solid tiger maple half pilaster columns which rest below large tiger maple support blocks. Each drawer features spectacular bird's eye maple of the finest variety as well as solid brass Chippendale "bat-wing" hardware and intricate diamond pattern inlaid escutcheons surmounting every keyhole. Frame and panel construction was utilized while joining the case which allows the sides to float within a framework as to counteract the seasonal expansion and contraction of the wood which occurs with all furniture from the early American period. Pegged case construction and hand cut dovetails have kept this centuries old American dresser as tight and sturdy as the day it was made. The most notable aspect of this chest of drawers is the presence of a valuable's drawer fitted just under the top of the dresser. We are unaware of another piece of early American case furniture to have this attribute besides a scarce amount of Queen Anne period highboys which have hidden drawers fitted into the crown molding often referred to as "torrance drawers". The secondary woods are southern magnolia which is one of the rarest hardwoods to be found on an early American furnishing from any design period. It is our belief that the chest of drawers is originally of Kentucky origin however we have broadly marketed the dresser as Southern to leave open the possibility of origination from a neighboring region. Classifying the chest to a specific county or state is made difficult due to the unique and rare nature of the dresser and the limited amount of southern furniture still known today and available for comparison. As many collectors know, southern furniture is extremely limited and in strong demand due to how much of it was destroyed or lost from the American Civil War period and the subsequent generations which followed. The dresser has a commanding presence accentuated by the four finely turned cherry legs which terminate on well formed ball feet. The chest measures 41 1/2” wide x 22 1/2” deep x 46” tall.
