Object Type
This early chest of drawers was known as a 'chest on chest'. Drawers had been fitted into Catalan bridal chests, Spanish and German writing cabinets and European travelling chests since the early 16th century. However, by the mid 17th century, chests of drawers gradually replaced ordinary chests, with no drawers, as their convenience for storing clothes, blankets and other textiles became more apparent.
Materials & Making
The engraved ivory and mother of pearl decoration is found on gunstocks of this period. These materials had been used on Spanish, Neapolitan and Netherlandish furniture since about 1600.
Physical description
Cupboard or Chest with drawers, oak, inlaid with ivory and mother-of-pearl, partly veneered with ebony and other woods. Above is one long drawer, below is a deep drawer, while the lower portion opens in two doors enclosing three drawers. The fronts of the deep drawer and of the doors have circular applied mouldings within octagons; the corners and the centres of the panels inlaid with ivory and mother-of-pearl; the top drawer is also inlaid and bears the date 1653; the uprights of the framework are decorated with pairs of split balusters. In front are flattened ball feet, the back feet are rectangular.
From: H. Clifford Smith, Catalogue of English Furniture & Woodwork
(London 1930), 602, Plate 29
Place of Origin
England, Great Britain (made)
Date
1653 (made)
Artist/maker
Unknown (production)
Materials and Techniques
Oak, with cherry, bog oak, ebony, ivory, snakewood, brass and mother-of-pearl
Marks and inscriptions
Dated 1653 on right side of top drawer
Dimensions
Height: 125 cm, Width: 117 cm maximum, top, Width: 113 cm bottom, Depth: 62.2 cm
Object history note
Made in England
Object sampling carried out by Jo Darrah, V&A Science; drawer/slide reference 1/59.
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Cupboard or Chest with drawers, oak, inlaid with ivory and mother-of-pearl, partly veneered with ebony and other woods. Above is one long drawer, below is a deep drawer, while the lower portion opens in two doors enclosing three drawers. The fronts of the deep drawer and of the doors have circular applied mouldings within octagons; the corners and the centres of the panels inlaid with ivory and mother-of-pearl; the top drawer is also inlaid and bears the date 1653; the uprights of the framework are decorated with pairs of split balusters. In front are flattened ball feet, the back feet are rectangular. Dated 1653. From catalogue H. 4 ft. 4 in., W. 3 ft. 10 in., D. 2 ft. (H. 132.1 cm, W. 116.8 cm, D. 61 cm) From: H. Clifford Smith, Catalogue of English Furniture & Woodwork (London 1930), 602, Plate 29
Benno Forman, 'The origins of the joined chest of drawers', in Nederlands Kunsthistorisch Jaarboek, Vol. 31 (1980), pp. 169 - 183
Adam Bowett, 'The Age of Snakewood' in Furniture History XXXIV (1998), pp. 212-225
Exhibition History
Masterpieces from the British Galleries at the V&A (British Antique Dealer's Association Fair 21/03/2001-27/03/2001)
Labels and date
CHEST OF DRAWERS
Oak inlaid with ebony, ivory, and mother-of-pearl
ENGLISH; dated 1653
A group of furniture inlaid in this manner survives, much of it dated around 1650. Similar decoration is also found on gun-stocks of the period, while inlaid mother-of-pearl was used on furniture made in Spain and the Spanish Netherlands. [pre July 2001]
British Galleries:
The chest of drawers was a new form of furniture in the middle of the 17th century. Lidded chests had traditionally been used for storage but drawers made it much easier to get at items stored at the bottom. Joiners developed strong joints, known as dovetails, for the drawers to withstand heavy use. The decoration included luxury materials imported from Asia and South America. [27/03/2003]
Categories
Furniture; British Galleries
Collection code
FWK
