Early 18th Century English Walnut Chest of Drawers, C. 1700–1725

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Description

A striking English walnut chest of drawers from the first quarter of the 18th century (c. 1700–1725), retaining a remarkable … Read more A striking English walnut chest of drawers from the first quarter of the 18th century (c. 1700–1725), retaining a remarkable amount of early material and surface character throughout, and containing design and construction elements spanning the William & Mary, Queen Anne, and early Georgian periods. A video tour is available on my YouTube channel @albrightak.

The chest is constructed in oak and stands on tall bracket feet beneath a molded upper case. Framed by double-reeded bead molding, the facade is organized with two short drawers over three long graduated drawers. The drawer fronts are veneered in dramatically figured walnut laid in symmetrical book-matched patterns and surrounded by walnut cross-banding.

A partial underside label appears to reference the London shop of W. Sadgrove, a Victorian furniture broker and cabinetmaker; a photograph of the label is included for documentation.

The bracket feet are believed to be original to the chest. They show centuries of wear, historic alteration, and use, all of which contribute to the authenticity and honesty of the piece. Limited restorations were undertaken where structurally necessary, including localized repairs to areas affected by worm damage and loss, while preserving the original profile and hand-worked character.

The top, while clearly possessing considerable age itself and having been repaired and consolidated (see photos), may represent a later replacement. The brass pulls and most of the escutcheons are later replacements. Two smaller keyhole escutcheons may be period or very early replacements. See less