Early 19th Century American Folk Art Six-Board Blanket Chest
Crafted from old-growth white pine with traditional nailed construction and classic bootjack ends. The exterior features an exceptional, well-preserved vinegar-grain painted finish showcasing feathered fan motifs on the sides and an intricate putty-grained (thumb-grained) pattern across the top lid. The front panel boasts custom stenciled serif initials "C M" flanked by a folk-art starburst flourish in salmon-red pigment, set within a matching stenciled border. The interior retains its original lidded till box on the left side. The lid was originally engineered with integral wooden pivot pin hinges, later reinforced with mid-to-late 19th-century metal butt hinges. The unpainted reverse panel exhibits raw, oxidized pine showing early sash-saw mill marks and hand-planed tooling. A quintessential piece of early Pennsylvania or New England utilitarian folk art with an authentic, un-restored cracked lacquer patina.
Measurements:
W 43.75” x D 16.25 x H 23.25