Antique chests of drawers were meant for a general household when they were invented but in course of time the antique chests of drawers became essentially a piece of bedroom furniture. Antique chest of drawers or bureaus are strictly of utilitarian purposes and remains a primary piece of furniture. Over the centuries this simple chest of drawers became a marriage coffer and a thing of great beauty, an object on which a wealth of inlay, carving, and painting was expended. Very soon the chest of drawers ceased to be an empty box with large space that was filled with goodies and started appearing as a convenient piece of furniture with compartments adding to its importance as storage bureau.
Besides the ambiance it gives as a permanent piece of furniture, an antique chest of drawers offers a huge convenience of storage place for bed-linen, winter ware and clothing in a modern home, and came to be appreciated.
Antique chest of drawers are of two types, those that are raised on twisted supports or legs, and those that rest on large balls or bun-like feet.
The evolution of antique chest of drawers:
In the later part of the 17th century the paneled fronts of antique chest of drawers and their framework started giving a new order of things. Material like Oak and styles of flat stretcher, early marquetry and lacquer started appearing in antique chest of drawers. Metal-work as brass handles and key-plates were found more suitable in antique Walnut chest of drawers.
Antique chest of drawers on stands started getting newer styles and newer types of feet and legs. Once Walnut stopped being the favorite for antique chest of drawers, Mahogany took over in the making of antique chest of drawers. Antique chest of drawers were veneered, inlaid, and ornamented, according to the styles prevailed.
Antique chests of drawers on stands continued to be made well into the early years of the eighteenth century with twisted legs that were cupped and turned. These antique chests of drawers came with two long drawers and two half-length drawers of varying depths. sometimes a shallow drawer was added in the plinth of antique chests of drawers.
Antique chests of drawers on ball or bun feet started showing damage, and started getting replacements of bracket feet.
The marquetry antique chests of drawers are a distinctive class of antique chests of drawers with a style of their ornamentation that changed very little over the years. Initially the marquetry antique chests of drawers bore natural flowers and leaves. Then the marquetry antique chests of drawers got Acanthus leaves. Later the marquetry antique chests of drawers were made with conventional patterns and scrolls of foliage that bore little affinity to the realistic forms of the earlier marquetry antique chests of drawers.
The lacquered antique chests of drawers of the Orient, Dutch and English origin were beautifully ornamented with metal plates and handles as devised by the English makers of lacquered antique chests of drawers. Wrought-iron hinges and lock-plates had been discarded in favor of carving. In Oriental antique chests of drawers metal work and brass plates were used. From antique chests of drawers evolved the antique chests of drawers with plain fronts and serpentine shapes independently. During the eighteenth century metal handles and handle-plates were used on the antique chests of drawers.
