Description
A Chippendale Fret-Carved Mahogany Chest-On-Chest
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Circa 1760-1780
in two parts, the upper section with broken arch pediment with carved rosettes and lattice-carved spandrels, with three carved urn and flame finials, over molding with dentil carving, the case with blind fretwork, over three short drawers above two short drawers above three graduated long drawers, the lower section with waist molding over three graduated long drawers, on molded base with pronounced ogee feet; the top-most center drawer inscribed in pencil to underside, "Formerly belonged to Mr. Jas. Steel/ Walnut St. 3.../ who bought it at Sale 4th Walnut St. -- of an old Quaker family/ Bought by Walter G. Hougland Owensboro, KY. from/ Hearst Collection at Louisville 1940."
Height 98 1/2 x width 44 1/4 x depth 23 1/2 inches.
Condition
presents well, with wonderful figuring to mahogany; refinished, but with even surface throughout; the backboards, upper part of top section and cornice, and underside / feet blocking have been later finished with rich brown paint; the long drawers each with later center wood brace running front to back to interior bottoms; some drawer faces with some patches or mends to corners, and a few drawer faces with losses or chips to corners; right-facing side of bottom section with age crack and some fill present; most foot facings with repaired breaks, the front right-facing foot facing also with age crack and some apparent touch-up; top of upper section missing support block; side finials are original, and central finial is later replacement- the center upright of cornice shows evidence of originally having a cartouche- with patches around original slot; brasses appear to be original; the underside of bottom with metal wheel apparatuses installed to inner part of feet, to blocking; repaired break to back side of right-facing upright to cornice; the blind fretwork overall in great shape, with minor occasional losses
Provenance
Note:The inscription to the drawer underside reveals that this chest-on-chest was once owned by newspaper and media magnate William Randolph Hearst (1863-1951). For three weeks during May of 1940, thousands of objects from Hearst's collection, including books and manuscripts, paintings, and assorted furnishings, were offered for sale at Stewart Dry Goods in Louisville, Kentucky. This was one of many sales at regional stores across the country, particularly department stores, in an effort to liquidate Hearst's extensive collection. A 1940 newspaper article from the Louisville Courier Journal describes Hearst's appetite for collecting, "He haunted the art and antique galleries, both here and in Europe, finding one of his keenest pleasures in the actual sight and handling of beautiful objects."
