Chest of four drawers

1780-1800

Measurements

35 1/4 in x 40 3/4 in x 22 3/4 in

Materials

Mahogany; walnut (drawer fronts, drawer blades, and full dustboards), chestnut (backboards, drawer bottoms and some drawer sides and backs), sweet gum (also called red gum, some drawer sides and backs, case bottom).

Credit Line

Historic Odessa Foundation, The David Wilson Mansion, Inc.

Accession Number

1971.637

Inscription

“J. Jefferis 1780—M.W. Corbit 1847—M.C. Warner 1902” is written in ink near the front edge of the inside bottom board of the top drawer.

Condition Notes

The brasses are replacements; shadows and nail-holes indicate former installation of large escutcheon plates. The left front and back foot facings exhibit losses.  Some cockbeading around the drawer fronts is missing.  A large split near the center of the solid mahogany board top is reinforced from below.  A split in the right side of the case is glued from inside with mattress ticking.

Provenance

Ex coll. Mrs. E. Tatnall (Mary Corbit) Warner.

Comments

This chest of four graduated drawers, each faced with mahogany veneer on walnut and encircled by beading, stands of ogee bracket feet.  The foot facings have deep scrolls near the foot and additional shaping at the far end creating a complex profile.  The case has engaged quarter columns at the front corners.  The chest top is blind dovetailed to the case sides; molding strips are applied to the outer edges of the front and sides.  The sides and bottoms of the drawers mix use of chestnut and sweet gum.

The inscription written onto the inside bottom of the top drawer—where it is readily visible—was almost certainly written by Mrs. E. Tatnall (Mary Corbit) Warner, the last owner before the chest entered collections of the Wilson-Warner House in 1923. Mrs. Warner had marked several other objects that descended in her family from David Wilson and William Corbit. In this instance, she recorded this chest as owned by James Jefferis (c. 1758-1822), the father of Ann Jefferis (1791-1822), who married David Wilson, Jr. (1787-1870).  Their only daughter, Mary Corbit Wilson (1811-1880), married Daniel Corbit (1796-1877) and was the mother of Mrs. Warner (1848-1923). 

Bibliography

Zimmerman, A Storied Past

Zimmerman, A Storied Past, p. 47.