a look at some Devon chests

two panels, one wide muntin

I’ve written a lot about the carved works associated with Thomas Dennis & William Searle of Ipswich, Massachusetts and the connection to similar work in Devon, England, where Searle was from. (We assume Dennis was from there too…but no one has found records that can be tied to him there…) Today I was looking at some photos of a few particular Devon chests, clearly the work of one shop, if not one joiner. They’re medium-sized chests with 2 front panels separated by an extra-wide muntin. This photo comes from Marhamchurch Antiques/Paul Fitzsimmons. Paul has been very generous to me over the years with his photos. I’ve learned a lot through his efforts.

https://www.marhamchurchantiques.com/

Devon chest dated IS 1666

My first trip to England was to study with Victor Chinnery in 2000 - and in his house was the front of one of these chests - initialed EC 1669. I took some lousy photos and some pretty good notes. Later, I was able to photograph that fragment at a collector’s house here in New England.

EC 1669 detail front muntin

The format of each of these chests is the same - that wide muntin between two wide panels. Stopped chamfers around the panels - molded edges on the muntin. Same molding runs here along the top rail too. Initials and date in the same spot above the muntin decoration.

EC 1669 panel & top rail

I dug out my notes from that 2000 trip to England - there I see the details, the panels are 12 3/4” x 15” - the muntin is 10 1/8” wide.

PF notes re EC 1669 chest fragment