A Very Fine and Rare Carved Walnut Chest on Chest, Signed by George Claypoole Jr., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania circa 1754

Appears to retain its original hardware. Inscribed on backboard Geo. Claypoole Jun.

Bernard and S.Dean Levy Inc., New York;
New Orleans Auction Gallery

Andrew Brunk, "The Claypoole Family Joiners of Philadelphia: Their Legacy and the Context of Their Work", American Furniture, edited by Luke Beckerdite, (Hanover, NH: University Press of New England for the Chipstone Foundation, 2002), p.166-9, fig.26 and 28

Finials restored, secondary woods are poplar and yellow pine, side cornice moldings restored, corner patches to cornice molding, several foot facings restored.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Inscribed "G. Claypoole jun" on its backboard, this chest-on-chest stands as an important document of the work of George Claypoole, Junior (d. 1793), a member of a multigenerational family of cabinetmakers active in Philadelphia for most of the eighteenth century. This chest is illustrated in the article on these cabinetmakers, "The Claypoole Family Joiners of Philadelphia: Their Legacy and the Context of Their Work," published by Andrew Brunk in American Furniture 2002, figs. 26 and 28, pp. 167-9.  

The progenitor of the Philadelphia branch of the family, James Claypoole (1634-1687), was a successful London merchant, Quaker and close friend of William Penn who emigrated to Philadelphia in 1683. His son, Joseph (1677-1744), was the first in the family to enter the joiner's trade and may have apprenticed to Edward Evans before establishing his own business by 1710. He trained two of his sons in the trade – George Sr. (1706-1793) and Josiah (1716/17-1757). George Claypoole Sr. appears to have reached a significant status in the Philadelphia cabinetmaking community for in 1783, he paid $200 in occupational tax, an amount surpassed only by Thomas Affleck at $250 and matched only by Benjamin Randolph and William Cox. Although no objects survive with his label, bills of sale indicate he made a wide range of forms of varying prices for clients from the Quaker community as well as other local patrons including Samuel Meredith (1741-1817), husband of Margaret Cadwalader (sister of John), for whom he made a large quantity of furniture. He most likely trained his son, George Jr., who completed his apprenticeship about 1754, as well as Jonathan Gostelowe (1744-1795), who served his term during the late 1750s and early 1760s.

George Jr. likely made this chest-on-chest soon after completing his apprenticeship. In fashioning it, he appears to have closely followed Claypoole shop practice of the 1740s for a very similar chest-on-chest of that period attributed to the Claypoole shop exhibits the same form, shell-carved tympanum drawer with no applied leaf carving, chamfered corners, base molding profiles, and bold ogee feet.¹ A similar tympanum opening, cornice, and applied lamb's tongues are found on a high chest with a history in the Penn family attributed to Joseph Claypoole or George Claypoole, Sr.² A chest of drawers attributed to George Claypoole Sr. or Jr. displays nearly identical chamfers with three flutes, returns, base moldings, and feet.³  The latter details are also found on a chest of drawers at Cliveden bearing the label of Jonathan Gostelowe.⁴

¹ See Brunk, fig. 27, p. 168.

² See ibid, fig. 25, p. 166.

³ See ibid, fig. 29, p. 169.

⁴ See ibid, fig. 30, p. 170.