Antique Queen Anne Style Mahogany Chest on Frame - Shell Carved Ball & Claw Legs

With our absolute compliments Bay Colony Antiques takes the utmost pleasure in offering this spectacular and rare Queen Anne style chest of drawers situated on an independent frame. We have had the privilege of marketing a variety of chest on frame designed case furnishings throughout decades of continued operations and can say with all confidence that they are among the wisest investments one can make with respect to what is available in the American antique market of this century. Our experience has taught us that three variations of case furniture will always command the highest monetary value and strongest resale demand from educated collectors: the iconic traditional highboy, the standard chest on chest form, and the chest of drawers on frame design. Among these three furniture variations the chest on frame remains the scarcest, most valuable, and widely prized amongst American antique collectors. Since the 18th century the wealthiest and most prestigious patrons of master cabinetmakers have sought furniture on frame for their estate collections with the finest known examples to have emerged from Pennsylvania and the central and upper New England regions. Very few iterations of the chest on frame form were reproduced throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Furniture makers working in the tradition of the late masters of the 18th century have found inspiration through these timeless forms and have produced some unbelievably beautiful replicas many of which have found themselves into the collections of renowned institutions and astute collectors. The example we now proudly offer was produced somewhere between a century to a century and a half ago during the last great era of American furniture production.

This chest of drawers is comprised of the finest old growth mahogany likely Honduran or Santa Domingan in origin. The distinction is important because during the 20th century mostly African mahogany was employed for architectural and furniture purposes and unlike mahogany from the Southern Hemisphere, which grows in lush rainforest environments, African mahogany tends to have less character in the grain of the wood and moreover lacks in richness and depth of character. This chest absolutely illuminates inside a room with natural sunlight which highlights the warmth of the bold mahogany grain and the overall beauty of the wood finish. The chest was constructed in a two over four drawer format with two short upper drawers housed above the four standard full length drawers. Each drawer is adorned with a pair of intricately formed Chippendale style bat-wing brass hardware plates with bail handles which allow for easy function of every drawer. The upper chest rests within an individual frame that has a well pronounced waist molding and perhaps the finest scrollwork design we have ever seen on a framework. The high arching scallop shaping and boldly pronounced spurs are reminiscent of the greatest works produced in Newport, Rhode Island and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We surmise that the artisan who crafted this chest took inspiration from the legendary workshop of Job Townsend and John Goddard whom mastered the shell carved motif design which were incorporated on each of this chests four cabriole legs. Each leg terminates in a well crafted ball and claw carved foot which is similar to the Boston and Philadelphia traditions of furniture carving. Overall this chest on frame measures 46 1/4" long x 23" wide x 68 1/4" tall.