Chest and Bookcase
- Object Name:
- Chest and Bookcase
- Object ID:
- 1969.036.01
- Date:
- 1780-1870
- Description:
- Chest and Bookcase. Primarily pine, with birch and pine drawer fronts and maple skirt. Evidence of orange and salmon paint (stripped). Bookcase in upper case, with two drawers below; chest of drawers in lower case. Inscribed in pencil script on interior of bookcase door, "M E A Clarks / Strafford NH". Incised in upper back board (exterior) of upper case are the following names, indicating ownership in family: "1. JAMES TUTTLE JR 1772-1798 / 2. Enoch TUTTLE 1798-1842 / 3. Asa H. TUTTLE 1842-1862 / 4. Almira E. TUTTLE Clark 1862-1867 / 5.Elmer Clark 1867-1947 / 6. John P. Clark 1891-1922 / 7. Alice Clark Haubrich 1947-1969".
Upper Case (c.1850-1870): The top of the case has a cornice with a wide molding of the echinus (convex) type. Below the cornice is a bookcase with panel door (mortise and tenon construction, with pegs). Door is held on with two iron hinges. Steel lock on the door (there is a key in the lock), with evidence of a previous door latch mechanism. The interior of the bookcase has an upper and lower tier; the upper tier is a single full-width shelf; the lower tier is divided into six vertical compartments (suitable for account books). The interior appears to have a yellow wash.
Below the bookcase are two short drawers, side-by-side. Drawer fronts (pine) measure 4.25" high x 17" wide. Inside the right hand drawer is a bag full of wooden pulls. The drawers are nailed together. The exterior of the back panels of these drawers have a distinctive cut mark that appears in a zig-zag pattern across the board. There are machine saw marks visible on the drawer bottoms. The left inside back of the left drawer has the number "4" on it while the right drawer has a "2" on it. Also on the inside of the left drawer there are the numbers "1" and "2" on the inside corners. The back of the upper case is made of four horizontal pine panels held with cut nails. The upper case sits on the lower case, in between two strips (on the sides of the case) of broad trapezoidal molding.
Lower Case (c.1780-1800): The lower case consists of 3 drawers, atop a base with bracket feet. Drawers and case are all dovetail construction (drawers have especially wide dovetails), with use of square nails. The drawers have birch fronts with secondary woods making up the rest. The drawers are graduated, from top to bottom: 6.25", 6.5", and 7.5". All the drawer fronts have convex molding on all edges. The sides and tops of the drawer fronts are bigger than the body of the drawer. Top drawer has "4" written in chalk on rear rail; middle drawer has "5", and bottom drawer has "6". Corresponding marks are in red on the case interior: "IIII", "5", and "6". The drawer dividers are dovetailed in. The back of the lower case is made of two horizontal pine boards held with both cut and round nails. Bottom board present, but no dust boards.
Base: The base has cove molding, above bracket feet. There is a skirt on the front and sides, supported by glue blocks; the skirt is probably made of maple. The skirt front is serpentine with 2 pendants close to the ends. The sides are arched with two pendants toward the middle. Backs of the rear feet are wedge shaped. - Material:
- Wood
Steel
Iron - Dimensions:
- H-64 W-39.5 D-16 inches
- Provenance:
- A list of names on the back of the bookcase -- believed to be a history of ownership of the piece within one Strafford, N.H. family -- ends with the donor's name.
The list is as follows:
1. James Tuttle Jr. 1772-1798
2. Enoch Tuttle 1798-1842
3. Asa H. Tuttle 1842-1862
4. Almira E. Tuttle Clark 1862-1867
5. Elmer Clark 1867-1947
6. John P. Clark 1891-1922
7. Alice Clark Haubrich 1947-1969 - Credit Line:
- Gift of Alice Clark Haubrich
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