Help to Identify - Shaker chest of drawers

So after some elbow grease I was able to knock off most of the shiny and darker finish. Enclosed is a close up of the wood. I believe with the pics above the twin peaks is butternut, but not sure of the other piece on the side. What does everyone think? And @verybrad ?

 

I am totally unsure about the wood on this piece. The two pics posted look like different woods to me. However, it could be the same with the second just showing quartersawn characteristics.

 

@verybrad agree that the side pic look quarter sawn and the unit is very heavy. So will pics when finished! Thanks everyone.

 

So after some deliberation with a few collectors in the area, the consensus is black walnut.

 

Walnut works and looking at last pic, it appears it's figured or curly walnut, even better!
With all the posting about finishing & topcoats, we never mentioned the most important point about refinishing, the PREP WORK! which is really where all the "real" work is and why i avoid it.
I'd go easy on the sandpaper or better yet, not use it at all. One of the most dreaded words in antique furniture is "skinned", where someone has taken a power sander to the piece and removed the oxidation/patina on the surface of the wood which is literally skin deep, hence the term skinned.

 

James, thanks for the tips. I've been using 000 and 0000 steel wool with lacquer thinner and mineral spirits. Question. The top is a single cut piece of wood with dark circles and gouges and still looks pretty rough. I was thinking about flipping the top and using the untouched bottom as the top. Thoughts?

 

Hmmm, not a clue, it's one of those gotta be there kind of things.

 

Chances are the underside has rough saw marks and holes where it is attached. This is one of those cases where it might be better off to take a power sander to the top. I realize that this is what James just advised against but if your goal is to have a clear top, there is not much alternative. This piece has really seen a rough life already. Not sure that sanding the top can do that much more. Don't really see a lot of patina to preserve here.

 

So, I flipped the chest top and there are a few minor saw marks after some simple sanding and thinner to clean the surface

Polo

 

So, I flipped the chest top and there are a few minor saw marks after some simple sanding and thinner to clean the surface. Cool find on one side of the bottom drawer . Looks like a young lady wrote her name "Hannah Atkinson 91" in pencil. Love this kind of stuff!!