With its tiered three-drawer construction, scrolled crest and contrasting stain on the pine drawers, this well-made chest would be a stylish — and useful addition — to any dresser. But there’s more to it than meets the eye!
For one thing, the chest sits on four barely visible feet, and a closer inspection reveals that the front feet are rolled. It comes with its original key, which locks the middle and bottom drawers. And finally, an unexpected element offers a clue to its origin. A portion of an old advertising or promotional card glued to one of the drawer slides reads in part: “(Complem)ents of Mr. & Mrs. Ernest Weeks Roberts Wellesley Hill, Mass. DISCOUNT This card … purchase of 75 cents.”
Curious about the history of the piece, I did an Internet search for Ernest Weeks Roberts and learned of the involvement of a Harvard University student with that exact name in a secret 1920 episode that wasn’t uncovered until 2002. I’ll let the curious among you check it out for yourselves. As for this handsome dresser box, I can say with certainty that it’s American, early 1920s and probably comes from the Wellesley area. Dimensions are 13-5/6” w X 10-1/2” h X 8” d.
$765