Chest

BFA Number

DAPC_2014-0250

Date

1785

Current Owner

Golden Ball Tavern Museum
More details

Details

Description

Federal-style, painted chest constructed of maple, iron, and paint. The chest has a one-board, hinged lid with edges finished in integral, quarter-round molding. The lid’s decorative butt hinges have one long, thin end and one wider end with arched edges. The interior of the chest has a shelf mounted on the right side; the rest of the interior is open. The case sides are each constructed of one board with square front edges. The sides have large, exposed dovetails on each side. The case front is constructed of one board that is let into a rabbet at the bottom and then nailed to the front of the case bottom. The case back and bottom are also constructed of one board. The case bottom is nailed to the underside of all four side boards. The case bottom displays obvious saw marks that are very regular.

The exterior surfaces of the chest, except the bottom, are painted light blue with additional painted decoration on the chest front. The chest front is painted with a swagged fabric above two urns on decorated columns with a central arch. A bird standing on the central arch faces the viewer’s right. [W.P. Jones 1785] is written in white below the central arch. The blue painted top has worn almost completely away.

Object use

Case furniture

Object type

Chest

Place of origin

Vicinity of Boston, Massachusetts

Basis of origin

Likely made in or around Boston due to characteristics of design and construction.

Date

1785

Basis of date

The painted decoration of the chest includes a name and date.

Style

Federal

Materials

Maple; Paint; Unidentified metal; Nails

Attributes & techniques

Straight-front; Painting; Hinges; Locks

Marks, signatures, inscriptions

None found

Dimensions

Height 19.25 in. (48.9 cm), Width 50 in. (127 cm), Depth 18.25 in. (46.4 cm)

History of ownership

The painted decoration on the front of the chest states "W.P. Jones 1785," which suggests the initial owner was William Pitt Jones (1766-1854). Presumed to have descended in the Jones family, which owned and occupied the former Golden Ball Tavern between 1768 and 1963. The piece was present in the house in 1964 when it became a museum.

Subject

Chests

Current owner

Golden Ball Tavern Museum

Owner's accession number

GBT 351

Rights

For reproduction requests or more information, contact the Golden Ball Tavern Museum at 781-894-1751 or through its website, http://www.goldenballtavern.org.

Source

Photographed by the staff of the Boston Furniture Archive, June and August 2014.

Date digitized

2015-03-24

Date modified

2018-07-16

All materials are copyrighted by Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library or by participating institutions.

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