AFA 20th Anniversary

20th Anniversary 116 www.afamag.com |  www.incollect.com High chest, Lancaster, Pa., 1770–1785. Walnut, tulip poplar, brass. H. 102½, W. 47¼, D. 25½ in. Dietrich American Foundation (8.2.1.HRD.562). One of the most ambitious examples of Lancaster rococo furniture, this high chest is embellished with elaborate carving that represents the highest level of Lancaster workmanship. The carving is executed from solid wood, a Germanic practice, rather than carved separately and applied. The unknown carver also stippled the ground within the pediment, a technique that served to both hide his tool marks and provide contrast with the relief-carved ornament. Lancaster, founded in 1729, and located about sixty miles west of Philadelphia, was the largest inland town in the colonies at the time of the American Revolution. Its skilled cabinetmakers—many of Germanic heritage—produced a variety of highly sophisticated furniture.