The House of Miniatures

THoM Product # 40001 - Chippendale Closed Cabinet Top

Catalog Description: This useful cabinet was also attractive. Set on a chest or slant front desk, it displayed the family's prized possessions behind glazed doors. Measures 3"h x 3 1/8"w x 1 1/8"d

Circa: 1770-1780

Style: Chippendale

Period: Colonial

Design © 1976

This piece is typical of the closed cabinet tops designed and built by master craftsmen in the 1700s. When fitted with glazed doors, as this one is, they were used to protect and yet show off the colonist's prized possessions. Used with a chest or cabinet base it became a dining room piece allowing the colonial housewife to show each visitor, without immodest bragging, her finest china, or silver. Placed atop a slant top desk it converted the desk into an elegant secretary. Behind the glazed doors the colonist's prized books could be displayed and yet protected. Other versions of this useful but attractive piece of furniture featured solid doors. Solid doors were used for two reasons. One was the glass was scarce and also taxed heavily. Secondly, the shelf arrangements might be changed into a multitude of pigeon holes to accommodate the colonial record keeping system or the shelves might accommodate items that the owner preferred not to be on open display. (C7001)

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