The Crowninshield, Mifflin, and Frothingham Families Very Fine Classical Carved and Figured Mahogany Chest of Drawers with Matching Dressing Glass, Boston, Massachusetts, 1825-1830

appears to retain its original pressed glass and cast brass hardware.

Benjamin Crowninshield to his daughter;
Mary Boardman Crowninshield (m. 1835 Dr. Charles Mifflin) to their daughter;
Eugenia Mifflin (m. Edward Frothingham) to their daughter;
Olga Frothingham (m. Langdon Frothingham) to their daughter;
Eugenia Frothingham (m. Perceville Hall Lombard) to their daughter;
Natalie Brooks Lombard;
Carswell Rush Berlin, Inc., New York.

Secondary wood: poplar For further information please contact the Americana Department at americana@sothebys.com or by phone at 212-606-7130.
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.

The design of this chest and dressing glass was inspired by plate LXII and plate CI in George Smith's The Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer's Guide (Jones & Co., London, 1828).  Although the plates were published individually in September and December 1826, it is unlikely that they would have been known to a Salem or Boston cabinetmaker before 1827.  George Smith's work, perhaps the most influential of the English Regency, was very unpopular among cabinetmakers in Boston, a city dominated by English taste in furniture. The combination of two pieces of an English pattern book into a single American commission is very rare.