Figure 175 shows a kas in the possession of Mrs. Henry R. Beekman, of New York. The wood is walnut throughout, and the carving, which is well executed, is applied in the method common in such pieces. The cornice is heavier than in the preceding figure and consists of a quarter-round, a fillet, a cyma recta, a fillet, a cove, a fillet, a cyma reversa, a fillet, and a cove. The dimensions are 7 feet 3 inches in height, 6 feet 21/2 inches in width. The cornice overhanging measures 8 inches and the ball feet are 9 inches in diameter. The wide drawer at the bottom is on side runners, and the inside shelves, three in number, are each finished with a 3-inch drawer, also on side runners. This kas probably represents the finest of the cupboards in use among the Dutch, and the tradition in the Beekman family is that it came to New York with the first Beekman in Governor Stuyvesnt's ship in the year 1647. The piece is of Holland origin and could date as early as the tradition states.

Figure 175. Walnut Kas, about middle of seventeenth century.

The records of New York speak of great black walnut kasses, referring to such cupboards as this.

So far as the writer can ascertain, these kasses were the only style of large cupboard used by the Dutch in this country, and their character is certainly quite different from that of similar pieces in the New England colonies.

An interesting little piece of Dutch carving found at Coxsackie, New York, which now belongs to the writer, is shown in Figure 176. The wood is beech, and the design is what is known as Friesland carving and is not common in this country. The three narrow shelves are each pierced with five oval openings designed to hold spoons. The wood of the shelves around these openings is much worn by long years of use. These spoon-racks are mentioned in some of the early Dutch records, called by their Dutch name, lepel-borties. The Dutch, with their housewifely tastes, loved to have their walls adorned with bright pewter and china, and devised shelves of various kinds for the holding of these valued articles. "A painted wooden rack to sett china ware in" is mentioned at New York in 1696.

Something should perhaps be said of the length of time that early cupboards remained in fashion - much longer, no doubt, in the villages than in the towns, where a change of fashion was followed more closely. At Boston the records begin to speak of chests of drawers on frames about 1680, and we may date the decline of cupboards from this time, though in some parts of New England they continued to be made for some twenty years or more. A will dated at New York in 1708 specifies that the wife of the testator shall be allowed to take "a new cub-bard that is now amaking by Mr. Shaveltie"; and Mrs. Vanderbilt's "Social History of Flatbush" mentions a Dutch cupboard which sold for £4 in 1790. At Philadelphia, which was not settled until 1682, the records make very little mention of Clipboards. From 1683 until 1720 only six are found, all valued very low, and described as old or old-fashioned. On the other hand, chests of drawers and tables are freely mentioned, showing that the cupboards were superseded by the high chests of drawers which came into use in the last quarter of the seventeenth century.

Figure 176. Spoon-Rack, 1675-1700.

In New England and other portions of America not under direct Dutch influence were found cupboards which were used for much the same purpose as were kasses, and these continue to be occasionally found throughout the eighteenth century.

Probably the most important piece of American oak which has been found is the clothes press, illustrated as a frontispiece, which belongs to Mr. William F. J. Boardman, of Hartford, in whose family it has always been. The upper and lower panel sections conceal a closet with wooden pegs. The dimensions of the piece are as follows: Length 4 feet 10 inches, height 5 feet 6 1/4 inches, depth 19 inches. The piece is of beautifully grained oak, except for the large panels, which are of pine, painted black. The nail-head applied ornaments are so placed as to appear to secure the panels to the surface, and the large panels are of unusual shape, redented at the corners and centres of the sides. The hinges are of wrought-iron in the form of a cock's head. Below the cupboard are two drawers placed side by side. This is the only fine example of a press cupboard found in this country known to the writer, and they are not common anywhere.

Figure 177 shows a panelled cupboard of walnut, the property of Mr. Charles R. Morson, of Brooklyn. The cornice consists of a quarter-round, a fillet, a cyma recta, a fillet, a cove, an astragal, and a fillet. The doors each have six bevelled panels and there are three panels on each end. The corners have square recessed edges with fluted quarter columns inserted. Below the cupboard are five drawers with overlapping edges, and the handles are of the early willow pattern. The piece stands on ogee bracket feet.

Another cupboard is shown in Figure 178. It is made of cherry in two carcasses, both sections having shelves concealed by doors. The cornice is unusual, consisting of a small fillet, a small cyma recta, a dentil moulding, a cyma recta, a dentil moulding, a cove, a quirk, an astragal, a fillet, a small cove, a dentil moulding, a fillet, and a small quarter-round. A dentil moulding finishes the under side of the moulding separating the two carcasses. There is one long narrow panel on each side of the doors, both top and bottom, and the doors are also panelled. The panels are all applied on the frame. The feet are of the ogee bracket type. The original H hinges and escutcheons appear on the piece. This cupboard is the property of the writer.

Figure 177. Walnut Cupboard, 1725-50.

Figure 178. Cherry Cupboard, 1725-50.