Figure 70 shows a japanned high-boy in the Bolles Collection. The cornice is composed of a cpiarter-round, a fillet, a cyma recta, a fillet, a small cove, a fillet and a large cove, an astragal, a fillet and small cove, and the two mouldings which separate the parts are fastened, one on the frame and one on the upper section, in the early manner. On the edge of the frame about the drawers are small bead mouldings, and the skirt is cut in cyma curves separated by straight lines, which is the usual form of skirts throughout that period. The japanning is of unusually good quality and well preserved. Each drawer is in a different design of raised figures, houses, animals, and flowers in gilt, and on the lower drawer is an architectural attempt in the form of two columns on each side of a shell, and cupids above.

Japanned Dressing-Table, 1700-25.

High Chest of Drawers, 1710-20.

The art of japanning became very popular in England about the year 1685; in fact, it was almost a craze, and the learning of the art was taken up by gentlemen and ladies. It was supposed to make the wood indestructible. Macquoid, in "A History of English Furniture," quotes from a work, entitled "A Treatise on Japanning and Varnishing," published in 1688 by John Stalker, of the Golden Ball, and George Parker, of Oxford, in which the writer says, in speaking of the art: "No damp air, no mouldering worm or corroding time can possibly deface it. and which is more wonderful, though its ingredients, the gums, are in their own nature inflammable; yet this most vigorously resists the fire, and is iwll found to be not combustible."

No wonder japanning was popular if it could accomplish all this, but, unfortunately, corroding time does deface it, and very little is found to-day that is not in rather bad condition. It was composed of a kind of varnish, and the decoration was sometimes in colours, but more generally was built up with plaster and gilded, as in this piece.

Japanning continued to be popular until about 1720, and mention is made in the newspapers of the practising of the art in Boston in 1712 and even earlier. This early form of japanning must not be confused with that which came about 1790 to 1800. The decoration on the latter was composed entirely of drawings in gilt, but without any raised work.

Figure 80 shows the dressing-table in the same collection which was the companion piece to the preceding figure. It follows the high-boy in every line, the decorations oh the surface of the drawers alone differing. The top is japanned but badly worn. A thumb-nail moulding with curved corners finishes the edges.

Figure 81 shows a maple piece which is literally a chest of drawers on a frame, for the table part has no drawers. The cornice consists of a quarter-round, a fillet, a cyma recta, an astragal, a fillet, and a cove, and the moulding separating the two parts is on the frame. The arrangement of the drawers, which overlap, is unusual in that there are two drawers at the bottom. The handles arc in the early form, wires supporting the bails.

Figure 82 shows a dressing-table in the Bolles Collection, with bandy legs terminating in club feet, with heavy shoes below. That the piece is early is evident from the double-arch moulding about the drawers on the frame. The cutting of the skirt in ogee curves and the edge which finishes them, also the handle plates which are engraved, are early features.

Figure 81. Dressing-Table, 1710-20.

Figure 83 shows a beautiful dressing-table with a walnut veneer front and top, after the manner of the turned variety. About the drawers on the frame is a canal moulding which consists of a strip of wood about half an inch wide with a bead moulding on the edge. This form of moulding differs from that shown in Figure 79, which it closely resembles, in that on the latter the bead is only about the drawers, making it appear between the drawers to be a canal moulding, but on the stiles it has but a single bead on the inner edge next to the drawer. The skirt is cut and finished in the form of the turned type of dressing-tables.

Dressing-Table, 1710-20.

Figure 84 shows an early walnut high-boy. The cornice consists of a fillet, a cove, and an astragal. There are three small drawers at the top, two next, and then three long ones, and in the table part there are four drawers of equal size. The drawers are overlapped, with a thumb-nail edge. The peculiar feature of this piece is the Spanish feet with which the bandy legs are finished. Only four or five of these high-boys have come under the writer's observation, and they can all be traced to New Jersey, where they were probably made. Bandy legs on such pieces are always cut rectangular instead of round, and there is always the moulding about the legs just above the Spanish foot. The handles are engraved with wires supporting the bails. This piece is the property of the writer.

Figure 85 shows a dressing-table in the same style as the preceding, which is also in the writer's possession. It is made of walnut and has five drawers with overlapping edges. The skirt is cut very high at the centre to permit of its being used by a person seated. The legs are cut in a more pronounced cyma curve than usual and the Spanish feet are well formed; the handles are engraved and have posts supporting the bails. The dressing-tables of this type are more commonly found than the high-boys and several have been found in New England. This piece came from New Jersey and has the lines of a piece made there.

Figure 84. High Chest of Drawers, Spanish feet, 1710-20.

Figure 85. Dressing-Table, Spanish feet, 1710-20.