Red Cedar chest of draws resto

[Superbunny]

Hi, I got this red cedar chest of draws the other week and I'm going to do a restore on it. The old lady I bought it off said it’s at least 100 years old as her mother handed it down to her. I'm keeping this for myself as I like it, it has some really good figure and grain and all is made of red cedar including the draws sides and bottoms. I don’t think the handles are right and the feet are not original. As I look at it, it seems someone at some stage has done work on it. There are some fixing up to do on the draw slips and a crack in the top that needs some attention. It looks as if its had a hard life with significant ware and tear over the years and as I'm keeping it, it really does need some TLC to make it last another 100 years. I would like to know if anyone can better date it. All three bottom draws are different sizes, I've shown the lock that might also help in dating it.

I plan to finish it with schellac and then u-beaut traditional wax as a finish. I'm not sure what I'll do about the handles at this stage as I think they are not the right ones nor good enough to go back on. I have some red cedar to do some repairs where needed on the draws. To repair damaged areas I'll be using hide glue if it’s strong enough for the job. The crack on the top is a concern but I'll think that one through when I get it off and have a better look.

As a side note, how is it I can never get the pictures the right way round and in the right order and there is no tool in the manage attachments that I can use to sort it out.

[Thumbthumper]

Beautiful ribbon cedar in that chest. Nice figure in the top drawers as well.

A bit of a shame that the drawer fronts seem to have been sanded. They would have lost a lot of character.

It would have had wooden knobs originally. Stained pine (Dixon) with wooden bolts. Could have had nicer knobs with pearl inlay. Can only guess.

If it were me, I’d turn cedar knobs with dowels and glue them in. I’d plug the brassware holes with coloured wax and polish over it.
You may be able the get antique knobs with a bit of searching. Sometimes my local junk shop has bags of them for sale.

Definitely use hide glue for repairs and polish with shellac/wax.

The drawer runners may have already been repaired? The drawers seem to be sitting fairly nicely.

For the top, it looks like the joint between two boards has opened.
If you can get the top off, it would be a simple matter of bandsawing through the joint, planing the edges with a long plane and re-jointing with hide glue.
Having said that, sometimes the top doesn’t really want to come off. Depends if it is nailed on, or glued all around.

Looks like the original feet. Best way to clean and polish those is in a lathe. They generally come off pretty easily. They look very Victorian. I'm guessing the chest would date from 1860-1880.

Good luck with the restoration.
Should be a useful chest when done.

Cheers,
Stu

[mattocks]

Hi superbunny,
I have a chest of drawers i suspect from the same era
it belonged to my parents and grandparents before them
I would agree with tub thumper on the era of the piece
I have attached pics of the piece including the feet and handles.
not all of my handles are original but the one I've taken a pic of is.
i think i got the replacements from Graeme Brown antiques in Melbourne. A very good resource.
I think your feet are original as well. they look very much like mine
I also finished mine with shellac and had to renovate the drawer runners and bottoms of most drawers as there was a lot of wear.
I really enjoy having and using mine and I'm sure you will as well
It is very much worth restoring and using for another century or more be you and yours.

Cheers

Frank

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And My pics aren't the right way around either.
It can be done but can't remember at the mo.

[Superbunny]

Thank you for your words of advice and encouragement thumbthumper and mattocks. I have lots of time and consider all your recommendations:)

SB

[Xanthorrhoeas]

Hi Superbunny, are you enjoying Tasmania?

It is a nice chest with that figure in the top drawers. I'm surprised at the apparently different figure in the graduated-size lower drawers. Maybe that's an artefact of the photo? Tasmanian cedar chests of drawers either had cedar feet and knobs or else used Blackwood. The knobs were as shown by Frank above, or else just a straight cylindrical tenon glued in with hide glue. I agree that the chest looks 1860-1880 but it could be earlier if provincial. Those items didn't change much from 1840 onwards - I'd have to see it to gauge the proportions to be more accurate. Those feet are about the right shape for an 1860-1880 chest.

I look forward to seeing progress.

David

[Superbunny]

Hi Superbunny, are you enjoying Tasmania?

It is a nice chest with that figure in the top drawers. I'm surprised at the apparently different figure in the graduated-size lower drawers. Maybe that's an artefact of the photo?
David

Yes, Xanthorrhoreas, I'm not missing Qld one bit and the house is coming along fine and your right it is a “nice chest with that figure in the top draws” my wife says thanks for the compliment. The draws do graduate in size and is not an artefact of the photo, and my wife said her nice chest is not an artefact either.

on a more serious note
Here is a better pic of the feet, they are painted and don't look like red cedar at all, I'll know more when I remove them and inspect.

I'm pleased you will be seeing the progress of the renovation, take care.

SB