The Chippendale Boston Blockfront chest was modeled after a chest featured in the book Boston Furniture of the 18th Century on page 81. This chest is built from South American Mahogany, the secondary lumber is Yellow Poplar. The chest features four graduated drawers that are carved from 12/4 mahogany stock, the chests dimensions are 35 1/2″h x 21 9/16″d x 40 w. The chest features Chippendale escutcheon style pulls.
The Case top is a two board glue up from the same piece of Mahogany lumber. The case top is attached to the side with a period authentic tapered sliding dovetail joint..
The case sides are a two panel glue up, that are more than 21 inches wide
The front lower case molding after being milled and the very distinctive single large dovetail used in Boston period furniture to attach the front molding to the case bottom in this photo..
Here is a photo of the finished bottom moulding, that features a beautiful cove and bead profile with the front bracket feet..
The the drawer dividers (or blades) all feature milled in place cockbeading, all the drawer dividers are fitted to the case with a sliding dovetail, which has been covered with a cockbeaded molding, mitred to the drawer blades
Now some photos of the drawers being constructed, the drawer fronts are milled from a single board of three inch thick Mahogany (12/4), shown with the pattern for the drawer front..
After being bandsawn the blanks are cleaning up with hand tools
A photo of the finished drawers that feature hand cut dovetails, Poplar drawer sides, back and bottoms
Closeup of the beautiful brasses..