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Lot Essay
This high chest-of-drawers exhibits several distinctive elements associated with the Dunlap workshops of southern New Hampshire. These include a cornice with dynamic basket-weave frets and carved fans on the corners as well as in the center, a large "spoonhandle" shell centered on the drawer front of the lowest long drawer, the unusual S-scrolls situated directly underneath this large shell and flanked by two smaller but similarly carved shells. Scribe lines extending from the woven frets in the cornice and around the fans are indicative of the construction methods of the cabinetmaker and are seen on other pieces attributed to the Dunlap workshops.
This high chest relates closely to one at Winterthur Museum (fig. 1), which is illustrated and discussed at length in Nancy E. Richards and Nancy Goyne Evans, New England Furniture at Winterthur: Queen Anne and Chippendale Periods (Delaware, 1997), pp. 348-351, cat. no. 175. Although subtle differences in ornamentation distinguish the example here from that at Winterthur, they share a number of identical characteristics, including a basket-weave cornice with small arching elements and a scalloped central fan, visible drawer blades, an identical drawer arrangement including the lowermost drawer with a fagade simulating three short drawers, nine-lobed spoonhandle outer shells, and scratch-beaded S-scrolls. With ball-and-claw feet, a more complex cornice with an applied top molding with tiny carved and applied rosettes, a flowered ogee and bead-and-reel molding below the gallery, and legs with cusped returns, the Winterthur high chest, which scholars date from 1773 to 1777, demonstrates not only ornamental options available to customers but may also represent a later development of the form.
The Winterthur example is attributed to Major John Dunlap because it bears the signature of William Houston, who is known to have worked for John Dunlap between 1773 and 1777. Another high chest also attributed to Major John Dunlap features a similar basket-weave cornice, a deep long drawer simulated as three short drawers, the central carved with a large spoonhandle shell, stylized S-scrolls and pad feet (see Currier Gallery of Art, The Dunlaps & Their Furniture (Manchester, 1970), cat. no 15). A third and virtually identical high chest is attributed to Lt. Samuel Dunlap (1752-1830), John's younger brother who worked in his shop (The Dunlaps & Their Furniture, cat. no. 8.)
This high chest relates closely to one at Winterthur Museum (fig. 1), which is illustrated and discussed at length in Nancy E. Richards and Nancy Goyne Evans, New England Furniture at Winterthur: Queen Anne and Chippendale Periods (Delaware, 1997), pp. 348-351, cat. no. 175. Although subtle differences in ornamentation distinguish the example here from that at Winterthur, they share a number of identical characteristics, including a basket-weave cornice with small arching elements and a scalloped central fan, visible drawer blades, an identical drawer arrangement including the lowermost drawer with a fagade simulating three short drawers, nine-lobed spoonhandle outer shells, and scratch-beaded S-scrolls. With ball-and-claw feet, a more complex cornice with an applied top molding with tiny carved and applied rosettes, a flowered ogee and bead-and-reel molding below the gallery, and legs with cusped returns, the Winterthur high chest, which scholars date from 1773 to 1777, demonstrates not only ornamental options available to customers but may also represent a later development of the form.
The Winterthur example is attributed to Major John Dunlap because it bears the signature of William Houston, who is known to have worked for John Dunlap between 1773 and 1777. Another high chest also attributed to Major John Dunlap features a similar basket-weave cornice, a deep long drawer simulated as three short drawers, the central carved with a large spoonhandle shell, stylized S-scrolls and pad feet (see Currier Gallery of Art, The Dunlaps & Their Furniture (Manchester, 1970), cat. no 15). A third and virtually identical high chest is attributed to Lt. Samuel Dunlap (1752-1830), John's younger brother who worked in his shop (The Dunlaps & Their Furniture, cat. no. 8.)