Pine Trunk or Blanket Chest

Details

Description

This interesting trunk is known as a faux Mule Chest. A mule chest is a trunk with a drawer or … Read more This interesting trunk is known as a faux Mule Chest. A mule chest is a trunk with a drawer or drawers beneath its storage well. This example is “faux” (French for “false”) because instead of working drawers it has two imitation drawer fronts, each with two chrysanthemum-like floral handle backplates and an escutcheon plate, all from pressed zinc. The lid has “breadboard” ends and it lifts on short iron strap hinges to reveal a deep storage well with a lidded candle box on the upper left. The front corners of the case are decorated with applied fluting topped with nicely-carved corbels. Hand-made star-headed nails are placed up and down amongst the flutes and on the astragal that separates the two false drawer fronts. It appears that the piece was once finished in a boldly stylized grain paint, for there remains a “shadow” of such a design beneath the wax finish, including the numerals “1901” on the left front. See less