Blanket Chest

[RugRat5288]

I was so pleased with the info you all gave me about my china cabinet i thought i would show you my blanket chest which is in poor condition and i have no idea on where it came from or if it's even old. The top opens up and it has to drawers in the bottom. It was also my grandmothers.

[mart]

I see jacon4 looking around and he might be the one to answer this !!  Can we see the inside of the drawers and dovetails as well as the back ??

[sapphire]

I'd love to see the answers to this too. One very similar was dropped off at my favorite thrift shop doorstep. It was painted a 'lovely' pale turquoise    It never even made it in the doorway......was gone by the time I dropped in later. The dovetails and hardware told me late 1800's/early 1900's. They likely let it go for around $30. (they tend to underprice the good, old stuff)

[mart]

Thats about the date I am thinking on this Sapphire !! Thought sure jacon4 would chime in but guess its not quite old enough !!

[cogar]

What do you mean by "poor condition", ....... it looks pretty good to me.

[msghopper1924]

I'm thinking maybe 1880s. Very handsome!

[jacon4]

Really cant tell if its period or not but it has a Sheraton (1790-1830) skirt. This type blanket chest is often called a "mule" chest because its a cross between a blanket chest & a chest of drawers. Very functional in their day, still are actually. The faux drawers above should have pulls or holes where they were to simulate actual drawers. These chests came into fashion in America during the William & Mary period (1690-1730) and continued on up through the Federal period (1790-1830). Naturally, those dates above are big city dates where furniture fashion kept up with the times, out in rural America it was not uncommon or unusual for fashion dates to be extended, sometimes by decades.

Better pic's of the construction details, particularly the hinges could help pin down the time line for your chest but based on what we see here, guesses Sheraton mule chest, 1840-50 or so.

Check out this Sheraton mule chest that recently sold at Garth's, it has KILLER paint and sold for over $4000. It's a fair bet that your chest was originally painted as well.
http://www.maineantiquedigest.com/stories/index.html?id=2910

[KC]

I have read through these posts twice and never saw where anyone said this was in poor condition - so don't know where you saw that comment.

Good info jacon4!

Agree, pics of the sides of drawers, hardware need to be posted as well.

[mart]

First post, KC !!  Owner said it !!
I can`t get those pics from MAD to come up ~~ Would love to see that chest !!

[sapphire]

Copied for you mart. They were small, so detail not the best

[jacon4]

Heres the chest that sold at Garth

[jacon4]

This is off thread but in much of early american furniture, it's ALL ABOUT THE PAINT! Back in the day, paint was a big deal and was done by a trained artisan who mixed dry colored pigments with a binder (usually oil,sometimes casin or milk) and made their own paint. It wasnt until the 1850s that you could buy paint in a can already mixed which killed the craft of painters as EVERYONE was now a painter, kinda like today,lol.

Add in the 1970s American fad of stripping painted EA furniture to give it that country look and BAM! Original painted furniture is highly prized and sought after by collectors. To give one an idea of the STUNNING paint work that was done in early america, check out this william & mary chest of drawers built around 1700 near boston mass. KILLER PAINT!

[ACStanley]

I have read through these posts twice and never saw where anyone said this was in poor condition - so don't know where you saw that comment.

Good info jacon4!

Agree, pics of the sides of drawers, hardware need to be posted as well.

RugRat said it was poor in her opening statement....

[sapphire]

jacon, would that type of paint (the original) be more transparent compared to more modern mass produced paint?  Similar say to the tole paint we use today......semi transparent unless multicoated? I was wondering if you can still see any woodgrain through/under the design. Would love to see a close up of that chest to get a better idea of the detail. 

[jacon4]

hmmmmm, no, you cant see wood grain underneath the paint, its not transparent at all. It's more like a thin layer of stone, very tough and durable. Most EA furniture was painted originally, it wasnt until the 1780s that furniture fashion turned to clear coats to show off the natural grain of gorgeous woods like mahogany, tiger maple, cherry, walnut.