When the block-front type of chests of drawers came into use, the popularity of the high-boy and low-boy was on the decline, and consequently a different form of dressing-table had to be adopted, which brought about a revival of the earlier knee-hole type shown in Figure 113.

Knee-Hole Block-Front Dressing-Table, 1750-75.

Figure 121 shows a block-front knee-hole dressing-table of this later period from the Pendleton Collection. On the upper drawer are carved shells in the usual way; on each side of the recessed section are three drawers with convex blocking; in the recess is a panel door hiding shelves. The mouldings below the top are a cove and a bead. The feet are ogee bracket of the peculiar shape found in Rhode Island, and the blocking which extends on them is finished with a scroll. The moulding above the scroll feet is composed of a cyma reversa and a fillet, which is a familiar Chippendale moulding. This form of foot with the scroll finish and the moulding is characteristic of the block-front pieces which were made in Rhode Island. Such pieces as this are sometimes called knee-hole desks.

Figure 122. Knee-Hole Block-Front Dressing-Table, 1750-75.

There is one at Kingston, Rhode Island, that has a desk in the upper drawer, but that seems to be unique.

Figure 122 shows another knee-hole dressing-table which is in the Bolles Collection, owned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is the same as that shown in the preceding figure, except in two respects. The moulding under the top has a fillet and cove added and the recessed drawer is concave with a shell similar to the one on the drawers immediately above it. In design and execution these forms of block-front pieces are the best that are known.

Figure 123 shows a knee-hole dressing-table, the property of Mr. Thomas G. Hazard, of Narragansett Pier, Rhode Island. Although not blocked, it clearly belongs to the type shown in the preceding figures, and the door in the recessed part conceals drawers with depressed blocking. Although the bracket feet on this piece have not the extra sroll, yet the mouldings under the top and the base mouldings are identical with the blocked pieces, and it was probably made by the same cabinet-maker.

Figure 124 shows a chest on chest the lower section of which is reverse serpentine, the curve commencing on the upper drawer in much the same way as does blocking in the block-front pieces. This form is found quite frequently in desks (Figure 287); the drawers are flush and on the frame is a bead moulding. The corners are recessed and quarter-round columns are inserted. On the square drawer at the top is carved a design of foliated scrolls. The handles are brass rosettes which belong to a much later period than the piece, and as these drawers show that there never had been any other handles it was probably not supplied with handles until some time after it was made. The piece belonged to the late Miss Esther Bidwell, of Wethersfield, Connecticut.

Figure 123. Knee-Hole Dressing-Table, 1750-75.

A number of pieces of furniture have been found with handles of a later period, and also without any handles. Practically all handles were imported, and it is possible that the stock of brasses had given out in the town where the cabinet-maker lived.

Figure 125 shows a chest on chest of the Philadelphia type, very similar to the high chests of drawers shown in Figures 106 and 107. The cornice is identically the same as that in Figure 106, as is also the lattice-work under the scrolls. Well-carved foliated rosettes finish the scrolls, and the arrangement of drawers at the top is the same as that in Figure 107. The finials are Chippendale urns with flowers. The edges are recessed with fluted quarter columns inserted and the piece stands on ogee bracket feet. The handles are bails held by posts with circular plates and the escutcheons are in a Chippendale pattern.

Figure 124. Chest on Chest, 1750-75.

Almost an exact duplicate of this piece is owned by Mr. George M. Curtis, of Meriden, Connecticut, and several others, very similar, have come from Philadelphia. This piece is in the possession of the writer.

Figure 126 shows another piece with a cupboard above and drawers below. It is of French walnut and inlaid with medallions of coloured wood. Similar pieces are called clothes presses by Chippendale. This piece stands on French bracket feet and the simple cornice indicates that it belongs to the Sheraton period.

Oak Clothes Press 1675 - 1700

Figure 125. Chest on Chest, 1760-75.

As we have said above, high chests of drawers remained popular in America for many years after they had gone out of fashion in England, for the English had adopted the low chest of drawers from the French. In this country, after the form shown in Figure 50 had disappeared, there were practically none found here until after the middle of the eighteenth century, and then they were scarce until about 1780, when they practically superseded the high variety. In this country they have generally been called bureaus, probably because in some of the later varieties one of the drawers contains a desk (Figure 303).

Figure 126. Chest of Drawers and Cupboard, about 1790.