Webberley Antiques

Description

With a truly superb colour, this is a mid 18th century very original walnut chest with featherbanded borders to the drawers and top. The walnut with wonderful figuring throughout.

The quarter laid top with a softly shaped cushion border. The drawers with original oak linings and the two frieze drawers with a rarely seen security mechanism so that these are released by pressing sprung oak wedges beneath. This is very thoughtful cabinet maker’s detail as it allowed for these drawers to be secure but without heavy locks and escutcheons and this gives a very attractive aesthetic and balance to the alignment of the handles and appearance of the chest. The sprung wedges can be disabled if preferred so that the top drawers do not automatically lock on closure.

The frieze drawers set over three long drawers, two of which retain their original locks and a working key. The whole on original tall bracket feet and retaining original bottom and back boards. Solid brass escutcheons and handles appear original and are correct for period but there are some marks on the inner face of the drawers which may be from earlier handles – it isn’t clear or obvious. The engraved batswing handles are mid 1700s and hand cast, and have had centuries of wear giving a lovely patination to them and a softness to their edges which only hundreds of years of use can produce.

A completely lovely and very original example in fine condition and with a fabulous colour.


Dimensions are:

38.25 inches wide, 20 inches deep and 40.75 inches high.

For metric please multiply by 2.5

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