Posted 8 years ago
Vaux
(1 item)
This small, three drawer chest with a flip-top lid appears to be mass produced, but I've been unable to find a similar example. It's something that has been used by children in my family for about 100 years and I'm getting ready to pass it down to the next generation. I'm looking for more information to put in the letter describing its history.
The chest has wooden pegs, dovetailed drawers, a turned foot, and a brass lined keyhole. It's only 20 inches high. Traces of paint suggest that it might once have been red and then was covered in a dark brown varnish. It has been well used and has many repairs, but was cherished by each of its young owners as a place for their special collections.
The chest was my grandmother's when she was a child around 1920 in Philadelphia. She wrote her name in block letters in the bottom of the top drawer and there are several spills of something that looks like black ink. My mother kept her dolls in it when she was a child. She passed it to me for my rock collection. I'm passing it to the fourth generation for one of her various collections.
I've not seen another like it. The top compartment seems too small for a commode. It has the shape of a lapdesk, but I've seen only a few with drawers. There could have once been rails across the top and sides of the lid, but that could just be wear. A small bar on the bottom of the hopper looks like it's there to keep a tray away from the long-gone lock mechanism. My family were grocers in the late 19th century, so could be a re-purposed display of some sort.
Anyone have any suggestions about age or original use?
If there are any screws, are they slot or Philip's head. The dovetails appear hand made to me. Wood pegs ?
Bluderbuss2, thank you for your reply. Two screws that are definitely original are large, slotted, and on the rear and are set in recessed holes. They attached the upper portion of the chest. I had one out during my recent clean-up, it was a wood screw with a very deep thread. All the other joints are held together with small wooden pegs. Maybe I was hasty when I said it was mass produced. There is also a desk reportedly made by the same grandmother's grandfather.
Looking at it again, what I thought were wooden pegs are wooden plugs covering the holes for screws.
That makes it a lot more recent. That became "the way" in probably the 40's & 50's. I kept using real wood pegs because I found it easier than drilling multiple size holes, installing a screw & then a plug.
Thanks again for your continued help. I'm not sure what you're saying, but I'm back to it being mostly peg construction because the pegs are positioned such that they go through the tenons instead of attaching from the rear. However the two screws in the back appear to be original.
Screws covered with plugs is not pegged & an entirely different system. The 2 do not overlap. This is probably no earlier than mid, to late 30's at most. Probably closer to mid 40's.
Sorry to be confusing. I was mistaken when I mentioned plugs. It's pegged mortise and tenon in the front and two large screws in recessed holes on the rear.
Well, pre-1940's then. Vaux, I just found out that I had a leaking can of baygon that has been poisoning me for 6 days & confusing the doctors (and me). Don't worry about it, as I'm sure I'll be back to abnormal in a few days. Be patient. Sorry. This is no drill !
Glad you found the source of illness!