Antique English Oak and Walnut Dressers
Antique English Dressers - Charles II period small oak dresser - 17th Century oak dresser - fruitwood dresser of the early 18th century on cabriole legs - English country dresser - oak dresser with upper shelves and single cupboard door - Queen Anne mahogany cupboarded oak dresser with drawers
The demarcation between antique cupboards and antique dressers in the 17th century is somewhat difficult to define, particularly where the lower portion is enclosed by doors. About 1650 and afterwards it was common to have dressers which were without the upper superstructure although sometimes shelves may have been fastened to the wall above. Naturally these dressers reflected the style of the period as far as drawer decoration and leg turning was concerned. In country districts dressers were made by local craftsmen on throughout the 18th century long after they had ceased to be fashionable in town houses. In this waythe cabriole leg continued to appear on dressers when it had disappeared on other town-made furniture. In the second half of the 18th century side cupboards were included in the upper half and the top cornice carried mouldings copied from more refined furniture, such as dentil friezes. The dresser does not appear to have developed much beyond this period; since it has long been relegated to a piece of kitchen furniture it may have been neglected stylistically for this reason.
The prices given are assuming good structural condition and originality. No pine dressers are shown and it must be emphasized that pine dressers are generally late in date and less than half the oak prices shown.
A fine Charles II period small oak dresser. The drawers illustrate the geometrical mouldings found on chests of the period-the swan-neck handles are a replacement and simple pear-drops or pulls would have been more likely. The legs show a fine example of Restoration turning with inverted cup and baluster forms. Although the legs finish square in section as though to take stretchers, these were not originally fitted. The top edge surface shows a simple thumb nail moulding and the cornice beneath shows a fine bold concave form.
Value points: Small Size - 5ft to 6ft long Quality of leg turning Drawer mouldings Colour and patination Original handles
Another fine larger oak dresser of c. 1680. The drawers show the same form as the previous example, with mitred decorative mouldings, but applied split baluster forms decorate the frame at the sides and between
them. The legs show fine column turning of the same form as our gate-leg table illustrated in that section. Again the legs are squared above the turned feet as though to take stretcher joints, but in fact stretchers are
only fitted at the side.
Value points: Size - length 6ft or under Colour and patination
Quality of drawer mouldings Quality of leg turning
Original handles
A fruitwood dresser of the early 18th century. The drawers show a simpler form of the earlier moulded panels but the top edge mouldings retain the same form. The cupboard door panels are also moulded with mock drawer fronts in the top half to retain proportion.
Value points: Fruitwood
Colour and patination Quality of mouldings Original handles
A rathermore countrified dresser of the early 18th century showing very simple leg turning. The shaped apron with projecting lip moulding follows that of side table styles of the period. The drawer fronts are very simple but there is a form of cock bead around them on the frame. The top edge has a simple thumb-nail moulding.
Value points: Size - 7ft wide or under … Colour and patination
Quality of mouldings
Original handles
An oak dresser of c. 1725 with upper shelves. The top cornice has an ogee moulding and shaped frieze beneath. The door panels are fielded and shaped,with the solid panel between them repeating this form. The drawers are simple, with no moulding, but the frame around them and the cupboard doors show a simple moulded edge. Note the panelled side to the lower section.
Value points: Small Size
Colour and patination Fielded door panels Original handles
Quality of mouldings
An oak dresser of c. 1725 also, but without the upper structure. The cupboard doors are again fielded and shaped. There is also the same moulded edge form on the frame around doors and drawers. The latter are simple; the handles are not original. Note that the sides are panelled; a form found on chests of drawers of the previous century.
Value points: Small Size
Colour and patination Quality of mouldings Original handles
A much simpler and cruder oak dresser of the early 18th century with simple single cupboard door. There is a simple thumb-nail moulding round the top edge and the frame also has a simple moulding around drawers
and panel edges.
Value points: Small Size
Colour and patination Quality of mouldings Original handles
An oak dresser of mid-18th century period on cabriole legs. The upper part is fitted with three spice drawers, which adds to value. The top edge moulding is rather more sophisticated and the drawers have an ovolo lip moulding around the edge to lap over the carcase frame. The cabriole legs are well shaped ending in a pad foot.
Value points: Small Size
Colour and patination Spice drawers
cabriole legs
Original handles
An oak dresser of mid-18th century. The top cornice shows a dentillated section in the moulding with a shaped frieze beneath. The side cupboard doors are panelled and moulded. The drawers are cock beaded and the swan-neck handles are possibly original. The shaped apron repeats the curves of the top frieze. It is interesting to note the C scroll behind the knee on the cabriole legs - a sign of quality coming from cabrioles of the Queen Anne period.
Value points: Small Size
cabriole legs
Colour and patination Quality of mouldings Shaped apron and frieze
A cupboarded oak dresser of mid-18th century with fielded panels in doors and drawers. The cupboards on either side of the upper structure have a spice drawer beneath. The whole form of construction dates from a much earlier period, showing how country craftsmen retained these methods long after they were superseded elsewhere.
Value points: Small Size
Colour and patination Spice drawers
Original handles
A later 18th century oak dresser with drawers cross banded in mahogany. The top cornice is well moulded and the row of spice drawers in the upper section adds greatly to value. The cross banded drawers are cock
beaded and it can be seen that small drawers have been let into the frieze. The ‘gallery’ beneath with its useful floor-level shelf was used for larger kitchen utensils and pots,
Value points: Small Size
Colour and patination Spice drawers
Original handles
Quality of leg turning
A Welsh oak dresser of last quarter of the 18th century. Note that the drawers are cock-beaded and that the shaped central apron reflects a form of much earlier origin. The apron is also cock-beaded like some Queen Anne forms. The panelled or boarded-in back gives a heavier appearance and it is well to remember that many may have had this removed.
Value points: Small Size
Colour and patination Original handles
Tags: 17th century, Antique, antique cupboards, antique dressers, apron, cabriole leg, cabriole legs, charles ii, cupboard, dresser, DRESSERS, English, fruitwood, kitchen, kitchen furniture, mahogany, moulding, oak, Pine Dressers, queen anne, table, value