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Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: jacon4 on August 29, 2016, 02:43:14 pm
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Joined oak & pine chest of drawers, Boston, 1690-1710. I was the under bidder on this chest in 2010 but, by chance i met the winner and made a deal to buy it years later. Good thing too because i was really ill for a long time over this one. I call it the "bird chest" because of the 24 known, 1 has it's original paint decoration with birds as the central theme.
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Beautiful chest!!!
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Thanks! i was lucky i got a second chance. Kinda slow in here today, figured i'd throw in a post on old furniture.
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It is a bit dull isn`t it ?? Yes I have seen this one before !! It is nice !! Don`t guess you have a pic of the painted one do you ??
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lol, dull? I will SMITE you!!! Well, it is not real shiny no, dang Mart, this chest of drawers is over 300 years old! For an american piece, it's an incredible survivor. It is interesting because it represents the changes happening in american furniture at the beginning of the 18th century, the frame is riven oak and joined, the drawers are side hung, all pretty standard construction during the 17th century. What's different is, the front feet, the single dovetail on the drawers and the PAINT! long gone on this chest. This was america's first stab at the William & Mary style and the beginning of the end of joiners as the dominate furniture makers in america, from here on, cabinetmakers and the dovetail RULED!
There is only 1 chest of the 24 known that still has it's original paint, at the Brooklyn museum. The MET has a bird chest as well, when it was donated in 1909 from the Bolles collection, in Bolles notes he wrote "bird decorations" however, the Met refinished the chest and that was THAT! Pic's below are chest at Brooklyn & the MET.
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Dull !! Meant the forum Jacon4,, not your chest !!
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The Met refinished it ?? What were they thinking ??
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The Met refinished it ?? What were they thinking ??
One has to consider the context at the time. It was 1909 and, no museum in America had a single piece of American furniture in their collections, american furniture was not considered worthy of collecting. Mrs Russell Sage bought the Eugene Bolles collection of american furniture and donated it to the MET, along with the funds to build the New American Wing at the MET which opened in 1929. The Bolles collection was/is the foundation of the American Wing and i am guessing at that time, the curators wanted to put the best face possible on American built furniture as this was the first time in history that american furniture was displayed in a museum.
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That just goes to show you, always leave the furniture in the state which the maker intended. As someone who loves the (now unfashionable) Victorian, I share their liking for furniture of the 17th century, and that bird chest is very cool. I recognize the context argument, but it's still sad that the Met did that refinishing job. Kind of like the "shabby chic" of their time!
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but it's still sad that the Met did that refinishing job
Well, yes & no, the thing is, we don't live in a perfect world and the MET did a lot right considering the time, 1909. They convinced Mrs Sage to buy the Bolles collection, then talked her into providing much of the money to build an American Wing to display that collection. This was all very radical at the time, american furniture was considered trash in the decorative art world. Bottom line is, were mistakes made? yes! but at the end of the day an irreplaceable part of american furniture history was saved.
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Yes, kudos to the Met for their vision, and in more than just American furniture.
My real argument is, when it comes to furniture, leave well enough alone and try to carry on the maker's vision as best you can. After all, that's why you bought it, yes?
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Okay, I almost choked I couldn't catch my breath laughing so hard reading about Mart saying "It is a bit dull isn`t it ??" and jacon4 taking it the wrong way! Oh my goodness - death by forum! Mart pretty much writes the way she talks I bet (so do I - so I got it).
The Met did the best they thought at the time. So Kudos for that.
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Well, you know how it is, i am always on the look out to SMITE! the old woman!
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LOL !! But ya` love me don`t you Jacon4 ?? :)
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lol, oh yeah, like a lion loves antelope, SMITE!
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Okay, I almost choked I couldn't catch my breath laughing so hard reading about Mart saying "It is a bit dull isn`t it ??" and jacon4 taking it the wrong way! Oh my goodness - death by forum! Mart pretty much writes the way she talks I bet (so do I - so I got it).
The Met did the best they thought at the time. So Kudos for that.
Worse than that,, I also write what I am thinking !! Well,, almost anyway !! Have to think about this being a G rated forum and curb the Texas english !!
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Okay, I almost choked I couldn't catch my breath laughing so hard reading about Mart saying "It is a bit dull isn`t it ??" and jacon4 taking it the wrong way! Oh my goodness - death by forum! Mart pretty much writes the way she talks I bet (so do I - so I got it).
Previously it was the Keno brothers, now it is Mart.
Someone who harbors an uncontrollable fear of being "Smitten" for the context/content of their posted commentary ...... should really take a "deep breath" and then ponder the verbiage they used prior to "clicking" the Post Message icon.
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???????
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There are MANY times that I type a reply and have to retype and occasionally retype the retype! It is hard to anticipate how people will perceive a written reply and "imagine" the tone of the reply in their heads. So, work hard to try and give bad news on an item (It isn't worth a million and you won't be able to retire on it even tho you paid more for it than than it's worth...or to contradict that their relative said it was very valuable and try and explain sentimental value versus market value!)
It's nice the regulars here have a good time helping people and getting our antique/vintage fix! And that we can poke fun with each-other at times and then agree to disagree "fairly well" on items at times! 😜🙃
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Spoken like a true moderator!
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Never mind all that, the bird chest is a KILLER piece of early americana and, i am damn lucky to own it! Even though the front feet & brass pulls are replaced and the paint long gone, it's an important early american piece and should probably be in a museum. Come to think of it, most of them are already in a museum.
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It is a beautiful chest !! ;D Certainly not dull !!
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SMITE!!! Actually, it IS dull and quite dry in appearance. You can see red paint traces on either end but the front, noooooooooooooo. I suspect it was refinished at least 150 years ago, maybe more than that.
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LOL !! I am going to have to get you a Texas English book !! I meant not dull with its history,, not its appearance !! After a few hundred years I imagine I will look a bit dull too !! ;D
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The conversations between you two are definitely not dull! LOLOLOLOL
You are mighty lucky to have that priceless piece of history jacon4. Thanks for sharing it with us. See, it is kinda on display in the online, forum museum! (Thank goodness you don't charge for viewing!)
So, are you going to pass it down through your family or donate it to a museum? (Reason I ask, I know my kids have no interest in maintaining my silver collection - at least not now - so I intend to donate it to a museum.)
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The conversations between you two are definitely not dull! LOLOLOLOL
You are mighty lucky to have that priceless piece of history jacon4. Thanks for sharing it with us. See, it is kinda on display in the online, forum museum! (Thank goodness you don't charge for viewing!)
So, are you going to pass it down through your family or donate it to a museum? (Reason I ask, I know my kids have no interest in maintaining my silver collection - at least not now - so I intend to donate it to a museum.)
When they get a bit of that "silver" in their hair they may change their minds !!
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So, are you going to pass it down through your family or donate it to a museum?
Neither one, except for a couple pieces they like. Kids are not into it at all these days, just not on their radar. Museums already own over 90% of the bird chest of drawers extant so that leaves 1 option. SELL! so kids won't have to in a rush and probably at the wrong place and get half their value or less. Kids today want money, not old furniture, that's just the way it is in 2016 america.
HAPPY LABOR DAY!