Jeff L Headley
Well-known member
I would like to see what methods were used in your area to support a drawer.
Drawer bearers
- Thread starter Jeff L Headley
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Jeff L Headley
Well-known member
John McAlister
Well-known member
Jeff, I'm going to show my ignorance but I can't quite follow your comment to "notice that the tenon or bearer support only starts within 8" of the outside of the case." I can see that the 2 drawer supports that we see in the picture, tenon into the drawer divider; and there seems to be an unusual wear pattern on the top drawer support. Have I lost it?
I can't tell if the case is upside down or rightside up. I believe it is upside down. There appears to be a missing glue block on the upper left of the photo, I can see color change and a glue drip.
As to "drawer bearer" I believe that is from Louis the 14th court, as in Chief Dresser and Drawer Bearer to his Majesty the King. The Drawer Bearer was of higher station than the Hose Handler, or Shoe Shiner but not as important as the Pantaloon Procurer.
Mike
As to "drawer bearer" I believe that is from Louis the 14th court, as in Chief Dresser and Drawer Bearer to his Majesty the King. The Drawer Bearer was of higher station than the Hose Handler, or Shoe Shiner but not as important as the Pantaloon Procurer.
Mike
Jeff L Headley
Well-known member
John, Most times I'm not sure what I'm talking about either. I was trying to describe the groove in the back side of the rail which supports the drawer bearer. My picture shows (Sorta) the top rail(upper left) where the groove starts about 6" to 8" from the side and goes to about 5/16" to 3/8 deep. Wallace Gusler mentioned that it was a regional characteristic to Winchester and the Shenandoah valley to only groove the outer ends of the rails. Of course he was talking about 10 15 years before. I do wonder about this though. I would think it would be a common occurrence. This could only be done without dust dividers. Mike, The Bearer supports the Queens supports.
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Jeff L Headley
Well-known member
Jeff L Headley
Well-known member
Here is a some what better picture of a the notch cut into the back side of the front rail to support the bearer. Notice it goes from nothing in the center of the rail to enough to support the bearer out at the case side. No need to notch all of the rail if you are not going to use it. This is from another local chest but Federal in styling.
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jacon4
Well-known member
AHHHHHHHHH HAAAAAAAAAAAAA, I got it now. The terminology was throwing me off track, I have always used the term "drawer blade" instead of "drawer rail" to define the piece of wood that seperates the drawers. This new pic helped alot as i can see clearly now what you are referring too.
Jeff L Headley
Well-known member
Drawer rail, drawer blade drawer bearer, drawer support potato, potato (print doesn't transfer as well as conversation) I will try to do better next time with my expalnations. If anyone has a question about any of my comments please ask. I am not the best at explaining myself. I do appreciate the interest.
John McAlister
Well-known member
Jeff, I, too, was confused by the terminology. The new picture and discussion cleared me up. Thanks to all who contributed.
John McAlister
John McAlister
Jeff L Headley
Well-known member
Was I using drawer rail improperly? I am sorry for any confusion. Has anyone seen this construction anywhere else? Again I think this would be quite common construction if no dust divider was used.
Chuck Bender
Active member
Jeff,
I've only seen the diminishing dado on furniture from the Valley. In some other areas, when they had no dust dividers, I've seen mortises in the back of the drawer blades. I've also seen a few examples where they ran a dado the full length of the drawer blade but did not have a dust divider. The final method for attaching drawer runners I've seen is merely butt jointed to the blade and nailed to the case side.
Now that you've clarified your terminology a bit maybe Mike can offer his observations. He's repaired/restored/conserved (did I cover all the terminology?) quite a bit of period furniture. Mike, have you seen a diminishing dado like the one Jeff shows on pieces outside Virginia?
I've only seen the diminishing dado on furniture from the Valley. In some other areas, when they had no dust dividers, I've seen mortises in the back of the drawer blades. I've also seen a few examples where they ran a dado the full length of the drawer blade but did not have a dust divider. The final method for attaching drawer runners I've seen is merely butt jointed to the blade and nailed to the case side.
Now that you've clarified your terminology a bit maybe Mike can offer his observations. He's repaired/restored/conserved (did I cover all the terminology?) quite a bit of period furniture. Mike, have you seen a diminishing dado like the one Jeff shows on pieces outside Virginia?
Chuck,
What comes to mind is modern furniture where the joint is cut with a router. Many more, as you say either butted and nailed or mortised. What is the predominant heritage for that area? It would be interesting to see if it is also a regional thing in Europe. I thought that area was a predominantly German so I would think you would see this in Pennsylvania German stuff as well but I don't recall seeing it. I always find regional variations in construction and design very interesting. Jeff, Do you see this in earlier pieces as well? Has anyone pinned down when it first appeared?
Mike
What comes to mind is modern furniture where the joint is cut with a router. Many more, as you say either butted and nailed or mortised. What is the predominant heritage for that area? It would be interesting to see if it is also a regional thing in Europe. I thought that area was a predominantly German so I would think you would see this in Pennsylvania German stuff as well but I don't recall seeing it. I always find regional variations in construction and design very interesting. Jeff, Do you see this in earlier pieces as well? Has anyone pinned down when it first appeared?
Mike
Chuck Bender
Active member
Mike,
you bring up a good point about the cultural make up of an area. The funny thing is, the Valley has a connection with Chester County. There were quite a number of craftsmen who moved from Chester County down into the Valley. Although that's the case, I have yet to see the same construction on a Chester County piece. I'm not saying it doesn't exist, just that I haven't seen it yet.
I think Millcrek's photo illustrates Mike's point about "modern" furniture. Although it isn't as new as I think Mike was suggesting, it is certainly much newer than Jeff's piece. The dadoes in Jeff's first photo definitely appear to be produced with a plane while the I'm skeptical about the ones in Millcrek's being made using the same method. Jeff, are the drawer runners themselves original in your piece? It's hard to tell from the photo but there are either diagonal scrub plane marks along the edges or they are angular saw marks (possibly circular?).
you bring up a good point about the cultural make up of an area. The funny thing is, the Valley has a connection with Chester County. There were quite a number of craftsmen who moved from Chester County down into the Valley. Although that's the case, I have yet to see the same construction on a Chester County piece. I'm not saying it doesn't exist, just that I haven't seen it yet.
I think Millcrek's photo illustrates Mike's point about "modern" furniture. Although it isn't as new as I think Mike was suggesting, it is certainly much newer than Jeff's piece. The dadoes in Jeff's first photo definitely appear to be produced with a plane while the I'm skeptical about the ones in Millcrek's being made using the same method. Jeff, are the drawer runners themselves original in your piece? It's hard to tell from the photo but there are either diagonal scrub plane marks along the edges or they are angular saw marks (possibly circular?).
Chuck Bender
Active member
Millcrek,
Judging by the design of the two chests I'd put Jeff's at 1820 - 1860 and your's post 1870 possibly as late as the 1920's or so. On Jeff's there are clear hand tool marks on the interior. On your's I see no evidence, other than some corner blocks, of any hand tool work at all in your photo of the interior. I'd be interested to see the drawer joinery (corners and drawer bottom construction) which would help narrow down the date your chest was made. Stylistically, Jeff's is straight on Sheraton but, given it comes from the Valley, it could be later than a chest of the same design from a city center. Your chest is stylistically much later. Do you agree or am I mistaken?
Judging by the design of the two chests I'd put Jeff's at 1820 - 1860 and your's post 1870 possibly as late as the 1920's or so. On Jeff's there are clear hand tool marks on the interior. On your's I see no evidence, other than some corner blocks, of any hand tool work at all in your photo of the interior. I'd be interested to see the drawer joinery (corners and drawer bottom construction) which would help narrow down the date your chest was made. Stylistically, Jeff's is straight on Sheraton but, given it comes from the Valley, it could be later than a chest of the same design from a city center. Your chest is stylistically much later. Do you agree or am I mistaken?
Chuck, I would have put Jeff's at 1810 to 1820, mine I'm not sure of. It has hand tool mark on all the surfaces or they are ruff cut. All the original nails are cut, but the screws appear to be machine made. The veneer is almost too thin to be hand cut. I took some better pictures today. What do you and others think.
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