Bonnet-top high chest, walnut w/ yellow pine and poplar secondary wood. Pegged frame and panel construction. A bonnet top broken arch pediment surrounds the tympanum with a central round, concave shell carving. Large orb finial on plinth centered within broken arch. Upper section has five graduated drawer sections consisting of three small drawers over two drawers over three long single drawers, all cock-beaded with bail brasses and escutcheons. Pulls not original; ghosting visible of original brasses. Quarter columns have wide chamfers with double fluting.
Upper chest rests on stepped-out lower chest having one long drawer flanked by two small ones and two more small drawers below these. Cutout apron at bottom. Very wide chamfered & fluted quarter columns. Cabriole legs with trifid feet and stocking detail.
Make is unknown.
Lancaster County, probably Churchtown area
Provenance
Chest originally belonged to the Old family, prominent ironmasters of Lancaster and Berks Co. It may have been owned first by James Old (1730-1809) or one of his children. The chest later passed from Miss Harriet Old to the Hopkins family at Conowingo Furnace, Drumore Twp., Lancaster County.
Overall abrasions, scars and small losses of wood. 4" crack in pediment, left of finial. Significant grouping of gashes 4"x 3" spanning 2nd & 3rd level drawers, at left. Entire front of top chest detaching from sides. Piece at top of left stile, under cornice, is broken & poorly repaired. Deep horizontal 7" crack on left side of base unit. Vertical crack entire length of right side of top. 1 12" long gouge on stile of right front leg. White flecks on right front leg. Brasses tarnished with some rust.
Object ID
P.78.76
Notes
Exhibit label information:
John J. Snyder, Jr. suggests many points of similarity with a Q.A Phila. highboy owned by diarist Christopher Marshall who brought chest along with him when he moved to Lancaster Co. "on the eve of the Revolutionary War." (Winterthur collections). This chest may have inspired the design of the Old chest.
Wide fluted chamfered corners similar to a Q.A. secretary (G.03.1.1) formerly owned by the Jenkins family of Churchtown. Similar to a case of Geo. Hoff clock w/ brass face, and similar to casework by some Phila. and Maryland cabinetmakers.
Snyder notes that cockbeaded edges on drawers suggest a later date than expected (c. 1770-1790). This type in Phila. was being made c. 1740-1760.
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Usage
Old family
Credit
Gift of James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
A) Linoleum print of "Passmore's House 1760" by Melissa M. Coleman (signed). Black ink on off-white/beige laid paper. See photocopy in accession files.
B) Front of mat (in 2 pieces now), title and signature on mat.
Slight discoloration (brownish) along top corners on front caused by yellowing (orange) tape adhesive remnants on back side. Black marks front left side and three on back.
