catalog text
GEORGE III MAHOGANY CHEST-ON-CHEST WITH SECRETARY DESK
England, circa 1760; with pierced fretwork and surmounted by a broken-arch pediment
Item # 102DOV25W
A very good George III period mahogany chest-on-chest of drawers, the case is designed to invisibly house a secretary desk for functional work in the center of it. Beautifully designed in the Neoclassical taste, it features a strong broken-arch pediment surmounted by a later giltwood finial edged with dentil molding over a facade of three small drawers over three graduated full width drawers in the upper case, the aforementioned secretary desk in the upper drawer of the lower case over two ever deeper drawers.
These are all crafted in the typical way with dovetailed construction of the oak secondary woods, the bottom board set in rabbets in the sides of the drawers and runners applied under this. The facade of each drawer is hung with replaced bail-pull brasses that originally would have been singular brass knobs and is framed in applied cockbead moldings around the mahogany veneers.
The corners of the upper case are deeply beveled with applied fretwork to match the space beneath the cornice, these corners finished with lamb-tongue curved returns. The entire case rests over unusually bold ogee bracket feet, entirely original with original blocking.
It remains a most powerful presentation, a work of art that has been cherished for more than two-hundred and fifty years and still remains youthful and enjoyable in the present. It will certainly continue to serve generations well into the future if well cared for.
Measurements: 88" H x 48 1/2" W x 22 5/8" D; height to desk surface 27 3/8" H; writing surface is 15 3/8" D x 43 1/4" W
Condition Report:
Old refinish with nice historical surface; wear and abrasions throughout; giltwood finial is added; broken-arch pediment curves slightly backwards, which mostly effects the center plinth (the curve leaves the finial pointing slightly backwards) and also put strain on the underlying wood resulting in a horizontal crack beneath the right side of the arch - this is very stable and is not concerning; all bail pull brasses are replaced with triangular patches where knobs used to hang; cockbead molding on top of fall-front replaced around the lock; small loss to cockbead molding for drawer above the desk space (on the left side of the upper corner); no key and locks untested; molding that wraps around top of lower chest has diagonal cracks and some missing wood to the right side of the chest along with a roughly 6" splice to molding above prospect door; some losses to pierced fretwork along lower 1/4 of left corner; three square dentil blocks replaced in crest; original feet with original blocking; silvering loss to the mirror of the prospect door; other various non-noteworthy blemishes/repairs.