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