Chest of Drawers

Although the serpentine front and bracket feet of this chest recall the Rococo style of the previous century, the string inlay, the use of contrasting veneers, and the style of the stamped-brass drawer pulls clearly place this chest in the neoclassical or Federal style. Boardman brought this style to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, after having apprenticed in Salem, Massachusetts, an important cabinetmaking center in Federal America. The chest retains much of its original finish and all of its original brass hardware.