Antique Chests of Drawers
Each antique chest is a unique piece, handcrafted primarily from softwood. Whether painted or carved antique farmhouse chests or simple rustic chests without ornamentation, we are always dealing with farmhouse chests of high craftsmanship. If a farmhouse chest of drawers has been created for a special occasion, it needs space to be shown off to its best advantage. Farmers’ chests for everyday use are smaller and simpler, but still have the same unique charm. These are antique farmers’ chests from Austria.
The origins of the farmer's chest
The farmer’s chest is the oldest piece of movable furniture in rural households and the most common type of storage furniture. The early form of the farmer’s chest dates back to the 14th century in rural areas. It was carved out of tree trunks and the lid was a single board attached with a wooden peg hinge. This chest has no stylistic features, so it is classified according to the year of felling or inventory lists. There, this original chest is listed as a grain, salt, or feed trough. Chests of this type were kept in pantries and storerooms. There were several of them on farms, and they were made by the farmers themselves. These heavy, trough-like chests are called built-in chests.
The construction of the farmer's chest
To increase the durability of the wood and protect food from moisture and mice, the body of the chest was raised off the ground and placed on feet (stollen). Depending on the load-bearing structural elements, stollen chests are divided into corner, side, or front stollen chests. Either the four posts, the side panels, or the front and back panels provide support. These farmhouse chests were also used to store grain, salt, and flour. The maker, who in the case of storage chests was primarily the farmer, drew on his experience in building houses and assembled the chest from several parts. It was grooved, fastened with wooden nails, connected with dowels, and in addition to the axe, the plane was also used. The lid of the chest is connected to the body by a wooden peg, has the shape of a gabled roof, which gave it the name “roof chest,” and over time became a flat lid. Due to its high functionality and durability, this farmer’s chest was manufactured until the 18th century. It features simple geometric decorations in the form of incised, carved, or flat carvings. Colors are rarely used; red ochre and blackening are used sparingly in the recesses of the carvings.
The painted and carved antique chest
Alongside the plain, functional chest, the decorated ceremonial chest developed, which was made by carpenters. Until the 17th century, architectural style elements were primarily applied to the front of the representative chest. The structure of this peasant chest, divided into two arched sections with arcades and pilasters, pilaster strips, half-columns, ornamental decorations, inlays or faux inlays, achieved by sawed-out decorative elements or stencil painting, are typical decorative forms.
The antique farmhouse chest was often made using a frame construction. It was not uncommon for the frame construction to be simulated by means of false molding strips.
The early colors are muted and used in a limited palette. Black and green are predominant. The pedestal chest became established in the structural design of the antique chest. The base serves no practical purpose, but is used as a decorative element and can be permanently or loosely attached to the body of the chest.
The farmer’s chest became a piece of chamber furniture and was mainly found in the living room on the upper floor or in the bedrooms.
The Baroque period was the heyday of representative furniture, including the richly decorated farmer’s chest. The three-section chest is the chest of the Baroque period. The middle section is often emphasized, and this is where the lock is located. The painting is colorful, with floral and figurative motifs decorating the front of the farmer’s chest. In the mid-19th century, the color palette of painted farm furniture became much more limited, aiming to imitate bourgeois furniture.
The Austrian farmhouse chest
With increasing decorative flair, typical small-scale styles of carved and painted farmhouse chests emerged. They are distinguished from one another by characteristic features, can be attributed to regions and workshops, but are not signed.
For example, Upper Austrian farmhouse chests can be attributed to the regions of St. Florian, Linz, Lambach, Hirschbach, Gunskirchen, Kronstorf, and Eferding based on certain stylistic features in their painting. In Tyrol, there are typical characteristics for different valleys, such as the Alpbachtal, Zillertal, and Sarntal. Certain motifs in the carved decoration also indicate the origin. Carved farmhouse chests from Tyrol can be clearly attributed to the Oberinntal or Gaadenertal, and the richly carved farmhouse furniture from Salzburg to the Pinzgau.
This gave rise to chest names. For example, the Apostel chest—a chest with 12 or 13 round arches—comes from Carinthia or Styria. The front of the Eferding slatted chest features small panels created by raised strips, has a V-shaped center panel with a key plate, is decorated with rosettes, swirls, and compass motifs, and has muted colors. The Linz rider’s chest or pandour chest has an engraving of riders or soldiers in the center panel. The Sideltruhe or Siedeltruhe is a chest that was also intended for sitting and has a swivel backrest.
Small chests are containers for money, documents, valuables such as jewelry, and personal treasures. Due to their valuable contents, these small-format chests are particularly decorated and locked. The fittings serve not only a protective but also a decorative function. Elaborately decorated small caskets were gifts of love.
Simple trunk chests were needed by people in itinerant and traveling professions such as carters, seasonal workers, traders, musicians, craftsmen, and servants to store their belongings.
The farmer's chest as trousseau furniture and wedding chest
Alongside the farmer’s cupboard, the farmer’s chest was an important piece of trousseau furniture for the bride. It was used to store valuable linen supplies, as well as clothing, jewelry, and other possessions. Small treasures were kept in the large side compartment or in the small compartment at the back of the chest. A secret compartment was usually provided for money.
The farmer’s chest as a wedding chest is decorated with names, dates, symbols of love and fidelity, and floral motifs. Later dates are common when an existing farmer’s chest was used as a bride price. The furniture remains in the possession of the farmer’s wife. The prosperity of the family of origin can be gauged by the extent of the decoration. The finished farmhouse furniture generally remained in the immediate region, with greater dispersion achieved through migrating dowries.
While farmhouse chests and farmhouse cupboards were still of equal status in the 18th century, in the 19th century the farmhouse chest increasingly ceded its high status to the farmhouse cupboard. The farmer’s chest took on the function of storage furniture for clothing, linen, lace, crockery, and valuables. The farmer’s chest retained its representative function.
The color palette of painted farmhouse furniture became much more limited in the mid-19th century, aiming to imitate bourgeois furniture.
Questions and answers about antique farmhouse chests
What is a farmhouse chest and what was it originally used for?
How can you recognise original or antique farmhouse chests?
What typical decorations and paintings can be found on farmhouse chests?
Which types of wood were traditionally used for farmhouse chests?
Are there regional differences in farmhouse chests?
How can an old farmhouse chest be restored?
How should a painted farmhouse chest be properly cared for?
How large are typical farmhouse chests and how much storage space do they offer?
Which pieces of furniture match a farmhouse chest in a living space?
What symbolic meaning did farmhouse chests have in folk culture?
