Featured 17TH CENTURY MULE CHEST

HI EVERYONE. I JUST FOUND THIS AND WAS WONDERING WHERE IT WAS MADE AND WHEN. IT IS WOOD PEG CONSTRUCTION. THERE IS ONE LARGE DRAWER ON THE BOTTOM. THANKS, CHRIS

 

3rd quarter 17th century, English. Very fine piece of Oak. Iron could very well be original too.

Did you find this in the United States?

 

Thank you! I found it in a small auction in upstate New York.

 

Can you tell us what you paid for it?

 

$175

 

u stole it.......!!
good purchase ......

 

Thanks!

 

Wow! Great find, chris.

 

Thank you! I was super lucky to pick up this 1655 Yorkshire chest a year ago from another local.

 

That is beautiful.

 

Thanks.It's oak with what I believe is maple and ebony inlays. There are several interesting marks on the lid like you would get if you put a glass down. I found out they are marks from the bottom of 17th century candlesticks.

 

Sweeeeeet........ & elegant too !!!

 

Thank you!

 

Beautiful piece!

 

Thank you! Amazing how good it looks for 369 years old!

 

Sorry, reality check. Does someone really think this looks to have been made in the 1600’s? As always, the pictures are way inadequate. Where are the pics of the full inside, the construction (no dovetails visible), under the base, the drawer bottom, the drawer AT ALL? What we do see looks like it may have a few pieces of old wood with lots of new and maybe a lid from somewhere else.

Im on an iPad and can’t resize pics, so it’s an exercise left to readers: look at the carving in the 2nd pic and tell me if that looks like 1600’s quality. Hack city. Then look at the uncarved lid in the 3rd and 4th pic and explain why it is 4 narrow pieces of wood glued together. Then look at the last pic showing the inside and explain new wood and new glue block contrasted with lid which has been paint stripped and beat to death.

These pics together with all the pics we have not been shown (needed to know how box was constructed and held together) makes this AT BEST an extremely questionable piece. As a decorator statement piece it is certainly worth what was paid, but nothing about it looks like an authentic antique to me.

England was putting together pieces with bits of old wood for the US market starting in late Victorian, early 20th century. If I had to guess from what is shown, that is what it looks like to me.

 

There's always got to be one of you guys on this Forum who lives to be negative borderline angry. This is wood peg construction, carving is absolutely 17th century, there's nothing about this piece that says late Victorian. The pictures are adequate for someone who knows what they're talking about.

 

Heck, takes a lot more than that to make me even borderline angry. I thought you were looking for opinions and advice, but it seems you think you are already an expert. So be it, just don’t be surprised at what you find out if you ever show your pieces - live and up close in person - to someone who knows real antiques.

 

In your reply was: "Reality check", " does someone really think this looks 17th century ?" Yes everyone except you, As always the pictures are in adequate" Do you mean my pictures are always inadequate? Don't lump me in with anyone else. At least in my world you come off angry. If you would have read my original post you would have seen I said it was wood peg construction. You put a lot of influence on the fact that you didn't see Dovetails. Well if you knew English furniture you'd know these chests did not normally use dovetails since these Chests were at their height in 1650 just when Dovetails were just coming into non-widespread usage in England. Every single one of the many of these chests I've seen were mortise and Tenon joints with wood pegs like this one. I do agree that the lid needs further investigation. I have no problem being challenged in fact I welcome it just not with the sarcasm and superior attitude many people come in with.