Flat Passage

Characteristics:

• Rail: Arch to long flat passage with nodules and a central pendant

• Drawer Configuration: Two drawers over two drawers

• Top: Ogee and square

• Case: Square and canted fluted

• Legs: Springy cabriole

• Feet: Scroll volute

Known makers: Henry Finney (1719—1744); Isaac Moss (1723-1790) and Richard Moss (b.1724)

Best examples:

• PMA 1995-138-2

• Wright’s Ferry Mansion, 75.1, illus. in Schaefer, Kindig et al, vol. 2, no. 42

• Yale University Art Gallery 1930.2275

• W.M. Hornor, Blue Book, pl. 17

• American Antiques from the Israel Sack Collection, vol. 8, 2240, 2241

• Wallace Nutting, Furniture Treasury, vol. 1, no. 422

• Magazine Antiques, December 1982, 1248, figs. 2, 3

• Freeman’s, Philadelphia, April 20, 2010, lot 272

• Sotheby’s, New York, January 22, 2011, lot 12

• Christie’s, New York, September 25, 2013, lot 15

• Freeman’s, Philadelphia, November 12, 2014, lot 114

Dressing Table

Delaware Valley; Probably New Jersey, 1740-60
American black walnut, southern yellow pine
29 1/16 × 33 7/16 × 20 11/16 inches
Yale University Art Gallery
Mabel Brady Garvan Collection 1930.2275

Characteristics:

• Rail: Scroll to flat passage (with and without ornamentation), cusp and then raised central arch usually to accommodate long, narrow central drawer

• Drawer Configuration: One drawer over two or three drawers; if three drawers, central drawer narrow and raised above the flanking drawers

• Top: Ogee or squared

• Case: Squared, fluted canted, or fluted quarter column corners

• Legs: Cabriole

• Feet: Spanish brush, paneled pad, or ball and claw

Known makers:

Best examples:

• Yale University Art Gallery 1930.2088

• Sack Archive (Yale University) 4283

• Baltimore Museum of Art 2012.294

• W.M. Hornor, Blue Book, pls. 55, 58, 61

• Wallace Nutting, Furniture Treasury, vol. 1, no. 408

• American Antiques from the Israel Sack Collection, vol. 4, P3603; vol. 5, 1288; vol. 6, 1635

• Skinner, Boston, May 1984 (sale #959), lot 168

• Sotheby’s, New York, January 22, 2006, lot. 137

• Christie’s, New York, January 18—19, 2007, lot 556

• Skinner, Boston, November 3, 2007, lot 453

• Christie’s, New York, September 28, 2011, lot 7

• Sotheby’s, New York, January 21, 2012, lot 291

• Sotheby’s, New York, January 23—25, 2015, lot 915

Dressing Table
Repaired by John Janvier in 1799

1750–70
American black walnut, southern yellow pine, tulip poplar, Atlantic white cedar
28 1/4 x 34 x 21 1/4 inches
Courtesy Israel Sack, Inc., Archive, Yale University Art Gallery

Dressing Table

Delaware Valley; Possibly New Jersey, 1750–80
American black walnut; back, southern yellow pine; drawer sides and backs, tulip poplar drawer bottom, Atlantic white cedar
29 3/4 × 34 13/16 × 20 1/4 inches
Yale University Art Gallery
Mabel Brady Garvan Collection 1930.2088

Characteristics:

• Rail: Arches with flat passage tops flanking a central series of scrolls positioned lower than the arches

• Drawer Configuration: Usually one long drawer over three with a larger, carved central drawer, or no central drawer due to rail’s high arch

• Top: Ogee and squared

• Case: Squared, fluted canted, and fluted quarter column

• Legs: Cabriole

• Feet: Paneled pad, ball and claw

Known makers:

Best examples:

• Levy Galleries, item no. 6588

• Christie’s, New York, January 18—19, 2007, lot 609

• Sotheby’s, New York, January 21, 2012, lot 176, lot 184

• Freeman’s, Philadelphia, April 20, 2012, lot 246

• Christie’s, New York, September 20, 2016, lot 850 (three over three drawers)

Dressing Table

Philadelphia, 1760–80
Walnut
30 ¼ x 34 ½ x 20 inches
Christie’s, New York, January 18—19, 2007, lot 609

Characteristics:

• Rail: Straight, with flat passages punctuated by two or three pendants

• Drawer Configuration: One long drawer over three drawers, usually of the same height, but some have larger, carved central drawer

• Top: Ogee and squared

• Case: Squared, fluted canted, and fluted quarter column

• Legs: Cabriole

• Feet: Paneled pad, ball and claw

Known makers:

Best examples:

• Museum of Fine Arts, Houston B.69.75

• American Antiques from the Israel Sack Collection, vol. 8, P3339

• Christie’s, New York, January 18—19, 2007, lot 558

• Sotheby’s, New York, January 24—25, 2014, lot 294

• Roland Auction, April 1, 2023, lot 502

High Chest of Drawers
Unknown American

c. 1760–1800
Mahogany; mahogany, Atlantic white cedar, cedar, southern yellow pine, and yellow-poplar
94 3/8 × 46 1/2 × 30 5/8 inches (239.7 × 118.1 × 77.8 cm)
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
The Bayou Bend Collection, Gift of Miss Ima Hogg, B.69.75

Characteristics:

• Rail: Flat passage on side arches, low-hanging central pendant with carved convex shell

• Drawer Configuration: One drawer over three; three drawers are same height; drawers all same height

• Top: Ogee corners

• Case: Fluted canted

• Legs: Cabriole

• Feet: Ball and claw

Known makers:

Best examples:

• Miller-Worley dressing table

  • corresponding high chest: Sotheby's, sale no. N08513, January 24, 2009, lot 92

• Detroit Institute of Arts 29.334

Dressing Table

Philadelphia, 1750–55
Walnut, yellow pine, tulip poplar, white cedar
29 3/4 x 34 x 21 inches
Leslie Anne Miller with Alexandra Kirtley, Start With a House, Finish With a Collection. New York: Scala, 2014, 228, illus.
 

Low Chest of Drawers

Philadelphia, 1760–65
Mahogany, pine, and brass
31 × 36 1/4 × 21 1/4 inches
Detroit Institute of Art
Gift of Robert H. Tannahill 29.334

Characteristics:

• Rail: Flat passage with scrolls and a central fishtail-like pendant

• Drawer Configuration: Two over two drawers or two over three drawers

• Top: Ogee

• Case: Fluted canted or quarter columns

• Legs: Cabriole

• Feet: Ball and claw

Known makers:

Best examples:

• American Antiques from the Israel Sack Collection, vol. 8, 2112, P5571

• Sotheby’s, January 20—22, 2016, lot 936

Dressing Table

1760–80
Mahogany
30 x 34 x 20 3/4 inches
American Antiques from the Israel Sack Collection, P5571
 

Characteristics:

• Rail: Flat passage (sometimes with a drop or notch) with scrolls, cusps, and with or without a central shell pendant

• Drawer Configuration: One over three drawers, with a central shell carved

• Top: Ogee

• Case: Fluted canted or quarter columns

• Legs: Cabriole

• Feet: Ball and claw

Known makers: George Claypoole (1733-1793); Thomas Affleck (1740—1795)

Best examples:

• PMA 1974-135-1 (deaccessioned)

• Museum of Fine Arts, Houston B.69.68, B.69.64

• American Antiques from the Israel Sack Collection, vol. 4, P3801; vol. 6, 1594-95, P4679; vol. 7, 2059, P4882

• W.M. Hornor, Blue Book, pls. 142, 151, 153

• Wallace Nutting, Furniture Treasury, vol. 1, no. 440

• Christie’s, New York, January 16—17, 2003, lot 315

• Christie’s, New York, May 19, 2005, lot 109

• Christie’s, New York, January 21, 2011, lot 90

• Christie’s, New York, September 24, 2012, lot 41

• Christie’s, New York, September 25, 2013, lot 23

• Christie’s, New York, January 22, 2016, lot 168

High Chest

Philadelphia, 1755–65
Mahogany, tulip poplar, white cedar, brass
7 feet 3 1/2 inches x 3 feet 8 inches x 2 feet 1/4 inches
Philadelphia Museum of Art
1974-135-1 (deaccessioned)

Characteristics:

• Rail: Flat passage (with or without nub) with low scrolls, cusps, and a central, high pendant

• Drawer Configuration: One over three drawers, with a central shell carved

• Top: Ogee

• Case: Fluted canted or quarter columns

• Legs: Cabriole

• Feet: Ball and claw feet

Known makers:

Best examples:

• Wintherthur 1959.1862

• American Antiques from the Israel Sack Collection, vol. 5, P4194

• Levy Galleries, item no. 37570

• Christie’s, New York, January 21, 2000, lot 122

• Freeman’s, Philadelphia, April 20, 2012, lot 264

• Christie’s, New York, September 25, 2013, lot 23

• Christie’s, New York, January 23, 2015, lot 167

• Christie’s, New York, January 17—18, 2019, lot 1241

High Chest
Unknown Maker

Philadelphia, 1760–75
Walnut
96 1/4 x 43 3/4 x 23 3/4 inches
1959.1862, Bequest of Henry Francis du Pont
Courtesy of Winterthur Museum

Dressing Table

1760–80
Walnut
29 x 34 x 21 1/2 inches
American Antiques from the Israel Sack Collection, 4194