The antique Chest on Chest was an adaptation of the Chest on Stand. They were known as the Antique Tallboy or more commonly called a Highboy in America and was first seen in the early 18th century in Britain. They are mainly built from Mahogany or country Oak and often come with Chippendale features such as Ogee bracket feet or blind fretwork carved canted corners. The best examples are in a figured Walnut and Oak lined with brass swan neck handles.
Antique Tallboy
Some of the earlies examples were in Walnut like this Georgian Antique Chest on Chest / Tallboy, with very desirable small proportions. A curved moulded cornice sits above three over six graduating oak lined drawers. All the drawers have moulded edges, delightfully figured walnut with cross banding and pierced brass handles with key escutcheons. It stands elegantly on shaped bracket feet and splits into two sections aiding transportation.
This Tall boy has an unusual drawer configuration and made with Cuban Mahogany. The shaped bracket feet having raised fielded decoration, an intricate piece of workmanship only ever achieved by a true craftsman of the period. It can also still boast ownership of its original back boards along with clout nails! This characterful charming antique chest is remarkably relatively untouched from its 240 years of life.
Later Edwardian examples copied the Georgian design but were of nice smaller proportions. Built by a true craftsman this example has very unusual shaped drawers.
The Edwardian cabinet makers also copied earlier designs like this Queen Anne style with spectacular pierced brass handles, key escutcheons and inlay feather banded. The lower section has a pull out slide along with a shaped apron and stunning cabriole legs with shell carved motifs and ball and claw feet. Â
Antique Chest on Stand
The Antique Chest on Stand came in two forms, one as a clothes chest and the other being a writing Cabinet on Stand. This opened to form a writing surface supported on cords at either side. The exterior usually had very good figured veneering with oyster veneers or walnut or with floral marquetry. The legs of the stand were usually baluster, spiral turned or cabriole. They were very handsome pieces of antique furniture.
Dating From Around 1750. This magnificent Chest On Stand circa, 1750 has a banded moulded top above two over three oak lined drawers with feather banded edge, decorative pear drop handles and moulded drawer dividers. The base has three oak lined drawers with a shaped apron, the most spectacular cabriole legs with ball and claw feet and the sides also have feather banding. Being such a lovely early piece it has the beautiful charm, character and restorations that you would expect to find from a true antique.
This Quality Early 18th Century Oak Antique Chest on Stand dates from ca. 1720 and has two over three over two Oak lined drawers with decorative brass handles and quarter column sides.
As elm was locally sourced in England, cabinet makers also used this in their construction. This
Rare 18th Century Elm Antique Chest on Stand
This Rare early 18th Century Elm Antique Chest on Stand stands on turned bun feet and is a very early example with decorative pull handles.