A fine Queen Anne walnut and feather banded fold over top bachelor chest. The rectangular top with book matched veneers, feather and cross banded, opening to reveal a mirror image arrangement of veneers to the inside. The top when open is supported by retractable lopers, with four long graduated drawers below, fitted with brass drop handles with engraved, shaped back plates and lock escutcheons, bordered by a double-D moulding. The chest is supported on shaped bracket feet. In lovely condition, excellent rich colour and patina throughout.

This piece retains the early type of drop handle with no evidence of other fitted brassware, but may have been fitted with a different handle originally through the same holes; the drawer fronts, top and sides have a wonderful mellow glow and fabulous colour. The lighter patches round the handles are most likely caused by the polish used to clean the brassware “overlapping” during cleaning but in the process adding a superb textured colour to the drawer fronts. A chest of virtually identical style and proportions is illustrated on page 205 of “The Shorter Dictionary of English Furniture” by Ralph Edwards.