A Queen Anne Walnut High Chest of Drawers

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Circa 1750

in two parts, the upper section with flat molded cornice, over a series of three short drawers with evidence of Quaker spring locks (the upper right-most drawer retaining a spring lock), over two short drawers, over three long drawers, the lower section with waist molding above three short drawers over two short drawers, shaped apron on cabriole legs ending in snake feet, the left upper-most drawer to lower section with faint chalk inscription to drawer side.

Height 76 x width 45 x depth 25 1/2 inches.

Property from the Collection of Renny Reynolds

Provenance:

This high chest of drawers was purportedly passed down through the Wainwright, Bowman, and Comly Families of Lower Merion and Byberry Township, Pennsylvania, including Sarah R. Wainwright and John Wainwright, of Lower Merion, Pennsylvania, possibly by descent to John Bowman (1806-1860) and Ann Comly (1806-1872), thence by descent to Sarah Rowland Bowman (1836-1911), thence by descent to Charles C. French (1861-1936?), thence by descent to Helen Chambers Comly (1872-1958), thence by descent,

Acquired by Philip Bradley Antiques, Downingtown, Pennsylvania in 1997,

The present consignor (acquired from above).

Note:

This lot includes two detached metal plaques engraved with assumed line of descent: "Sarah R. Wainwright/ Sarah Rowland Bowman/ Charles C. French." It is most probable that these plaques were made during Charles' ownership of the high chest. The direct connection between Sarah R. Wainwright and Sarah Rowland Bowman remains uncertain, although Sarah Wainwright's husband, John Wainwright, acquired a parcel of land in Lower Merion, Pennsylvania, belonging to Joshua Bowman, which John named Elm Hall. Like this example, there is evidence of repeated property transfers between the Wainwright and Bowman Family, so it is not improbable that the chest was acquired through a similar exchange.

John Comly (1773-1850), the father of Ann Comly (1806-1872), was best known as a Quaker minister who served as a leader of the Hicksite sect in Philadelphia. He was also a skilled surveyor and agriculturalist, as well as a schoolmaster. He married Rebecca Budd, of Mount Holly, New Jersey, who was also a schoolmaster, and together they ran Pleasant Hill Boarding School out of their Byberry home, from 1804-1815. An advocate for proper grammar and spelling, he authored English Grammar Made Easy to the Teacher and Pupil. In his daily life, he exemplified pacifism in all forms, even maintaining a strict vegetarian diet.

This lot is accompanied by a typed appraisal of the estate of Charles C. French, located at 3202-3204 Hamilton Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, executed by Samuel T. Freeman & Co., on July 27th, 1936, a typed family tree, a copy of George Norwood Comly's book, Comly Family in America (Philadelphia: Under Supervision by J.B. Lippincott Co., 1939), six cabinet card photographs, two depicting the house at Pleasant Hill, Byberry, Pennsylvania, and four depicting members of the Comly Family, including Charles C. French, as well as his sister and her family: Anna Dora (French Palmer), her husband Edwin L. Palmer, and their daughter Elizabeth Comly Palmer at two years, the couple identified verso and dated, "1895", and the child identified and dated, "Dec. 1904."

probably refinished, but with a nice even surface throughout, the wood grain with wonderful figuring; the left and right side cornice molding with repaired breaks, the front left-facing corner of cornice molding with small old loss; drawers glide easily, the lock slots to three upper long drawers with patches to front; retains original brass hardware; the left facing stile of upper section with patched / repair to lower bottom edge; the drawers generally with some scattered repairs or mends / patches to edges and corners commensurate with age and use, a few drawers with small old losses to corners, but not blatant; back feet with repaired breaks; side panels of upper section with some minor age cracks; two of upper-most short drawers with evidence of former Quaker spring locks

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Please email paulinearchambault@hindmanauctions.com for any additional information or questions you may have regarding this lot.

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Alasdair Nichol

EVP, Deputy Chairman

anichol@freemansauction.com 267.414.1211

Alasdair Nichol is Deputy Chairman of Freeman's. He previously served as Chairman of Freeman's, and he and two colleagues acquired the company in a friendly management buy-out in 2016.

He joined Freeman’s in 1999, and as an auctioneer of almost 30 years, has sold many significant collections, including The George D. Horst Collection of Fine Art, The Lehman Brothers Collection, The Collection of Dorrance "Dodo" H. Hamilton, The Stanley Bard Collection: A Life at the Chelsea, and numerous works that set new world auction records. He was instrumental in establishing Freeman’s departmental fine sales and has spearheaded the company’s mission of showcasing single-owner collections.

Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, he studied fine art at Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen. He later graduated with a master's degree from the University of Ulster in Belfast, Northern Ireland. In 1985, he embarked on his career in the auction world in Edinburgh before moving to Glasgow, where he organized the first sale of Scottish contemporary art at the world-renowned Glasgow School of Art. He subsequently moved to a flagship saleroom in London where he specialized in Modern and Impressionist art before transferring to New York as Head of Fine Art in 1997. Since 1998 he has been a familiar face on the top-rated PBS television program Antiques Roadshow.

Adam Veil

VP, Head of Department, American Art and Pennsylvania Impressionists

adamveil@freemansauction.com 267.414.1221

Adam Veil serves as Vice President and a Fine Art Specialist at Freeman’s.

Veil joined Freeman’s in 2021 following years of experience in both the auction world and the academy. His area of specialization is pre-WWII American Art, although he has lectured and published on topics ranging from Mexican landscape painting and Old Master printmaking to art market economics.

Veil earned a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in art history from Penn State University and pursued doctoral studies at Indiana University Bloomington. Prior to joining Freeman’s, Veil was Head of Fine Art at a Washington, D.C.-area auction house, and Executive Director of the Santa Fe Art Auction, where he oversaw market-setting auctions of classical and contemporary Western, Southwestern, and California art. He has also held positions in provenance research, art fair operations, and as editor and producer of The Conversation, a popular Los Angeles–based contemporary art podcast. Concurrent with his role at Freeman’s, Veil is a professor at Mansfield University of Pennsylvania, where he teaches courses in Renaissance, Modern, and American art history.

Please email paulinearchambault@hindmanauctions.com for any additional information or questions you may have regarding this lot.

Garden Party: The Collection of Renny Reynolds

A Queen Anne Walnut High Chest of Drawers

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