English George II Vernacular Highboy

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By 1740, England's prosperous country gentry were furnishing their houses with much the same ambition as their fashionable London counterparts, … Read more By 1740, England's prosperous country gentry were furnishing their houses with much the same ambition as their fashionable London counterparts, though often with a decidedly less formal approach. This handsome George II highboy belongs to that world, where good craftsmanship mattered more than keeping up appearances.

Vernacular in spirit, its oak body is enlivened by contrasting ash inlay across the drawer fronts, handsome brass hardware, and a wonderfully shaped apron resting on bold cabriole legs. The influence of the George II period is unmistakable, though interpreted with a country craftsman's wonderfully unpretentious hand.

And then there's the old iron repair on the front right leg. A wonderfully honest bit of ingenuity, applied generations ago when replacing a perfectly good piece of furniture was unthinkable. We rather like it. Nearly three centuries of use have left their mark, and this old fellow wears every bit of it with considerable dignity. See less