The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-01-02
The WOODEN CHEST
DEVELOPMENT or THIS ARTICLE or
HoussEScB FuFNlT0ss

occasionally a bed. When the hunter.
lord Of the manor or plowman came
home from bis labors be threw himself
on a couch on the door. on which were
spread some skins or rough wooden
cloth. which served for warmth. In
many homes OF some pretension there
was but a single bed, In which the
knight and bis lady rested, while the
remainder OF the household lay upon
the door or stretched themselves upon
the chest, which contained the fortune
OF the family.
There were no banks. no places
where property might be stored and
papers deposited, and each man held
on TO his goods by force OF arms and
the strength and secret continuance OF
the ponderous locks which he had
placed on bis chests. They were rem
dered more secure at night by having
a sleeper, with his sword near at hand.
occupying the lid. and in the day the
mistress OF the manor and the mgidens
were at work all the time on their end
less spinning or tapestry work near at
hand.
There are very few chests remaining
which can be Identified as having been
made prior to the thirteenth century.
only one or two. In fact, and one Of
these at Stoke d'Aberon church in Sur
rey. England, Is made of oak. with the
remains of three ponderous locks and
some simple Gothic carving. One or
two said 10 be equally ancient have
enumeration OF Ironwork upon them.
the design showing great skill In the
working Of the metal and beauty in
the design.
In 1923 we come TO the period OF
documentary evidence as to what was
in use by royalty at least, and from
that series Of papers known rs the
CLOSE rolls Sill preserved In Eng
land. can be drawn many details as TO
what was in use Commands OF the
king with reference to painting the
rooms Of himself and his queen date
from l239 Though chairs did not
come into common use till the six
tenth century, there were benches
with high backs for those who could
afford them-and always the chest
The chests in which we are interest
ed are OF later period. and the earli-
est are OF oak. carved or lnlald. stand.
Ing fat on the ground or on legs made
from the continuation Of the stiles. The
decoration was applied to the panels
OF the front. OF which there were com.
monty three. and TO the upper rail. the
lower one being plain. 1t was in choice
specimens only that the sides were
paneled, ami where the carving was
made in Holland. as was often the
case in the seventeenth and eighteenth
centuries. and then sent to England
the wood Of the body OF the chest may
be different from the panels. The tops
or lids are plain with few exceptions.
Many OF the chests to be found here
have the lids Of pine. though I have
also seen many OF fine black ok,
heavy and solid. though the mortlsed
ends have had to be strengthened with
nails.
Standing chests" or hutches, as
they were also called. were named
from a chest OF similar style and OF
French make. called "huche." Every
nation used these articles, and the In.
dlviduality OF each is stamped upon
Its product. No Italian family was
without Its "cassone." or marriage
chest In It was stored a wealth OF
linen and silk. jewels and velvet. the
portion of the daughters Of the house.
which were freely displayed when call
ers came, so that the wealth or the
family would be known and bring
suitors forward no matter how IN.
attractive the lady.
All Italian literature deals in one
way or another with the chest. Low.
ers and other criminals hid in them,
Painters lavished on them the choicest
labors OF their hands. Cabinet makers
Wed one with another as to which
should produce the finest specimens.
and besides the wood carvers artisans
were employed TO inlay them with
Ivory, tortoise shell. pearl, lapls lazuli
and anything that could add to their
richness. Gold leaf was added to all
the other things, and a little Golfer or
chest for a lady's jewels had, In add.
ton, trays lined with choicest Genoa
velvet or silk from Damascus.
Spain was not behind other cont
mental countries. in her work upon
chests and produced a kind OF stand.
ing cabinet or chest which Is always
handsome and usually very ornate.
have seen some made Of ebony and
painted with the most charming de.
signs, each one different, even the
small drawers behind the doors Of the
larger panels having their painting too.
Red velvet and gilt nails were affected
occasionally by the spanish on the
legs Of these chests, which was very
poor art and perishable as wen.
1t is rather interesting to compare
these flowers Of art with the simple
pieces which were made In such num-
bers in England and later In this coun-
Try. They were sometimes called .'Bi.
bic boxes" since the precious book was
carried In them along with such small
store Of money and few papers as the
owner had. They were small, twelve
or fourteen inches long. and had oc-
casionally slanting tops. on which writ
ing could be done.
In some the two upper sets OF draw
ers are false. being really a chest with