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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Jeff Drum, post: 4299975, member: 6444&quot;]I think we can do a better job of figuring out the likely history of this chest rather than just being a collection of parts (though it is that as well). The main structure seems to have been a slant top desk from the 19th century made in England.</p><p><br /></p><p>Made in England is based on what looks like oak drawer sides and front to back drawer bottoms.</p><p><br /></p><p>Having been a slant top desk would explain the odd partial width drawer at top: the sides used to have the support rails sliding into them, but these were replaced with solid pieces to hide its former history. The two notches at the top of the rail above the short drawer would have had hinges in them, further supporting its having been a slant top desk.</p><p><br /></p><p>These desks were common in 19th century, and a lot were imported as antiques into the US since there was a good market here. I assume that cutting it down to turn it into a chest was done more recently, and here in the US. The market has really tanked for these desks, so it could have been done fairly recently. If it had been done in England prior to exporting it, it likely would have been much better done. The English re-did a lot of old furniture from parts, but they were pretty skilled at it and wouldn&#039;t have bothered to send something as badly done as this is now. BTW, the witness marks for the replaced escutcheon on the top drawer matching those on the other drawers further support that these drawers all came together as part of a desk, rather than being from a separate piece of furniture, which is the other possibility as someone already said.</p><p><br /></p><p>Besides the starting desk, the top would be a replacement, as obviously are the feet. And the hardware is probably all replaced, though the two top drawer pulls could be original (can&#039;t tell from the pics attached but a close up look at interior and exterior would answer the question). A look underneath would indicate the type of feet originally attached. But really, it isn&#039;t worth any more thought, unless it is super cheap and you are either looking for some old wood and parts to repair some other piece of furniture, or you need a chest and appreciate its sad and complicated history.</p><p><br /></p><p>Sample English desk which would have been the starting point:</p><p><img src="https://a.1stdibscdn.com/antique-english-mahogany-queen-anne-slant-front-desk-for-sale-picture-6/f_9709/1587716601933/sec9_master.jpg?disable=upscale&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=60&amp;width=1318" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" />[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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