18th Century English Gun Collector's chest

[Carl Young]

I stop at Rau's on Royal St. in New Orleans when I am there as they often have some nice flintlocks on hand if you ask to see them. I have no affiliation with them (wish I could afford to be a regular customer!). I thought this to be a handsome piece of furniture, as in my mind's eye it would be full of fine period firelocks.

http://www.rauantiques.com/item/George-III-Mahogany
-Gun-Collector-s-Chest.29-9654.html?crumbType=searchproduct&sort=Price+desc&start=0&q=gun&facet.field=Period&facet.
field=Origin&facet.field=Material&facet.field=Type&facet.field=Maker&facet.field=Room&facet
.field=Subject&facet.field=Stone&facet.field=Artist&rows=15&rows=99999&follownutch=no






Dennis, if this is in the wrong place I apologize.

Regards,
Carl

[Avlrc]

Really nice. However the vertical drawer would not  be tall enough to hold long rifles nor long  fowlers. Being 52" wide would be a little short also. What guns did they design this for? 1780 Circa, I would have thought it a little small. Maybe for Jaegers? Were some of those old English Sporting Guns that short?

[James Rogers]

I am not a furniture guy but isn't that chest early 19th?

[tallbear]

James

I agree on the post 1800.The skirt board is what really stands out as post 1800 to my eye.Don't recall any George III furniture where the skirt board is continuous,most is open with feet at the corners.

Mitch.

[Artificer]

Good call James and Mitch,
Mitch, great point about the skirt boards.

The shooting accourtrements are also 19th century, though that doesn't date the piece.

In America, we call the brass pulls and this general style as “Federal Period” ca 1785 through 1825.  Sometimes we refer to it as Sheraton as the English do, but they also refer to it as George III as he lived until 1820.

However, without an actual date on an original cabinet maker’s label in the piece, I don’t see how this piece could be said to be from 1780. 

Guess I’ve been in FAR too many original period houses and antique dealers over the years. GRIN. 

Gus

[mr. no gold]

It does look quite fresh and the baize drawer linings look new. I wonder if it isn't later than thought and/or has been refinished at some time? If old, it may have had another component now missing, that is, a lower section with legs, so that it looked more like a chest on chest or other style? It is a nice piece of funiture, but wouldn't hold many Kentuky Rifles. Nice little English fowlers though; now, that is another story.
Dick