Featured early 19th century bow front federal chest?

I'm not the best at judging wood type. Here are some pictures of the back and underside.

 

If you fancy a read, this is rather good on secondary woods:

https://regionalfurnituresociety.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/02-pzimmerman.pdf

And this, on the British perspective: https://www.reindeerantiques.co.uk/blog/23_A_buyer's_guide_for_an_antique_chest_of_drawers.

I don't think that back is oak, but I do think this thing was born here.

 

The back and underside look like pine, any photo's of drawer bottom & sides?

 

Mm, I thought pitch pine. Which is still ok for British, of course.

 

Think the 3rd and 5th pics show oak for the drawer side and drawer bottom..... right?

 

Not sure Brad, might be, might not, it was not definitive over here. This is the problem with pics & old furniture, not definitive, lol.
It's a period chest no doubt, still not sure if english or american which makes a big difference dollar wise.
The back of chest i have no idea as it's black but bottom of chest clearly looks like pine over here. We need to see better pics of those drawers, i been askin but i aint gettin them!

 

Well, english or american can be very tricky, we imported english styles/designs of furniture as well as London trained cabinetmakers/joiners who built their stuff over here just like in the old country.
We need to see better pics of drawer construction.

 

It gets trickier the further back you go as well. In the pilgrim century (1620-1720) joiners were using riven (split) oak on both sides on the pond. America's most celebrated 17th century joiner Thomas Dennis, apprenticed in Devon, England and if you look at Dennis relief carving here & carving from the shop he apprenticed at there, they are nearly identical.
Bottom line is Dennis didn't just get off the boat and start carving new designs, he carved the same designs he was taught in Devon.

 

Very true.

 

As an example, look at this period Hepplewhite chest that is supposed to be American, assuming that is correct, this chest could have just as easily been built in downtown London, more pics at link
https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/s...ewhite-chest-drawers-circa-1790/id-f_1025104/

 

Here are pictures of the drawer and the inside of the chest.

 

Hmmm, it doesn't look like oak to me, the back board is white pine as well as the dust board. Drawer sides look like mahogany or yellow birch, chestnut, locust? it isn't oak.
The chest is American i think, it has secondary construction that is quirky which is typical of american work.
American!
Where are you located & where did you get the chest, did seller say anything about it?

 

We live in NC. Bought the chest 18 years ago in VA from a family friend who had a furniture shop. Unfortunately she has passed as well, so we didn't know much about it other than it was early 19th century. We bought a lot of our antiques from her, including the secretary seen in the background of the 4th drawer picture, and the chinese altar table I also have a post about. We have always had an appreciation for antiques not for their intrinsic value thereof, but for their history.

 

Neat, I am in NC as well, Charlotte. I moved here from washington DC in 2000, been here ever since. I collect old furniture as well, usually very old furniture, mostly late 17th - mid 18th century stuff.

 

I'd say your Hepplewhite chest is american, let's see what others say.

 

Agree that secondary woods are not oak. Very well could be American.

 

mmmm. Secondaries are too pale for stuff I see here.

 

Yeah, agrees, is pretty sure it's american, you don't see that kind of thing in english work of this period or i haven't anyway. Nice old chest, to bad about pulls though.

 

still thinking early 19th century? or late 18th century?

 

1st quarter 19th I'd guess, 1820-30. Thing is, photographs miss so much when it comes to construction details that are easy to see in person. And construction details are all one has to go on with old furniture.