The Evolution of the ChestThe History of the Origin of the Design Period Known as Early American Colonial Furniture

In the tracing of the origins of the style known as Early American Colonial Furniture we can find no fragment of Roman furniture in England has survived. The barbaric Northman made a clean sweep. The whole story began afresh. We are able, from actual examples that have been preserved, to study the whole story of the evolution of the chest.

The earliest form is the simple dug-out. These were referred to in very old documents as "trunks " from the tree-trunk out of which they were shaped. The round shape of the log is repeated in the lids of what are still called travelling " trunks."

Many of the heavy dug-outs still remaining may be connected with the Crusades. Henry II in 1166 ordered " trunks" to be placed in all parish churches to receive gifts for the relief of the Holy Land. Henry never went, but the money was used in purchasing freedom for Christian prisoners. These chests had three locks, the keys of which were kept by the priest and two laymen. These chests were money-boxes and so had a slot in the lid. When interest in the Crusades faded the chests were no more made and their use was forbidden. Another form of collecting-box continued to be made to this day. This was the Poor or Alms-box. These were smaller than the chests and at first were dug-outs, the cavity being hewn in the end of a standing log.

The value of the contents of the chests and alms-boxes caused many to be banded with iron. Sometimes so much iron was used that the wood was almost entirely covered. These were " strong boxes " or "safes." It was a very short step to produce a box entirely of iron.

No sooner had one use ceased than another took its place, and the parish priests were ordered to provide chests to contain the church books and vestments. This explains how it is that many chests have a small division which held the books and parchments and a larger division which held the church vestments, altar cloths, etc. At this time a great advance was being made in the construction of chests. The awkward " dug-out " was displaced by the " slab construction." Five hewn planks were spiked or pegged together called " counting-houses " until very recent times. The household linen, clothing and goods that a woman brought as her share at her marriage was kept in her " dower chest," and these were sometimes very magnificent indeed. In Italy these became the finest chests of all. They are called " cassoni " and may be seen in good museums.