In the catalogue description of the Laird Family chest that sold on January 25, 2025 at Sotheby’s, the chest was described as appearing “to retain its original fire-gilt cast brass hardware” early in the text and later was said to retain “its original fire gilt brass hardware.” The wording is slightly different, the first quote seems to allow for the possibility that the chest may only appear to retain its original brasses while the second quote unequivocally states that the chest does retain its original cast brass hardware and that it was fire gilt.

As seen in the catalogue, as well as in plate 150 in the Blue Book, there are two different types of escutcheons on the drawers, a simple keyhole surround on the two lower tier short drawers, and an elaborate rococo design pierced escutcheon on the long drawer. This is unusual and was not accounted for in the description of the chest.

On inspection in person, there was problem with the fancy escutcheon. There is evidence of two to three previous escutcheons. There is a large hole behind the escutcheon, scoring from a round or oval plate, and a series filled nail holes used to attach an earlier escutcheon, possibly the now missing original.

While I was grappling with the wood evidence that showed the Laird chest was not conceived or built as a high chest base, my friend Joan Parcher, who has an extensive knowledge of eighteen and nineteenth century brass furniture hardware as well as an exceptional collection of the same, was asked her opinion about Sotheby’s claims for the brass on the chest. She gave me permission to share her thoughts here. She does not believe the hardware on the chest to be of the period nor does she believe it to be gold gilt. She gives several reasons why she thinks the hardware is reproduction. “The floral back plates were POORLY cast. The period examples have much more detail and are “crisper.” “No burnishing. The smooth areas on the floral back plates and the bails should be heavily burnished and crisp.” “The bails are a different color than the back plates. Why are they so pink? Also, the backs of the bails should be heavily burnished. To my eye, the posts appear to have been made in a machine shop by someone who did not quite have enough information.” Joan has many examples of original fire-gilt brass in her collection and does not believe brass on the chest has the appearance of worn fire gilt at all. She also noted that the floral back plates are supposed to be mirror images of each other, yet even though there are only four handles, one of the handles has rosettes whose design face the same direction.

She went on, “This floral back plate pattern was popular and heavily reproduced. The floral rosettes on this chest look like reproductions of reproductions of reproductions to me. The bails just look like reproductions though.”

The color difference between the bail and rosettes is quite apparent in the image above. This was the case with all the pulls on the chest.

Joan graciously sent me images of some of her original versions of this pattern.

Clearly the chest has been attended to in a furniture restoration shop. A skilled carver made the new knee returns. There are many drawer lip repairs and a mahogany top was made. This was all done before the late 1920s or early 1930s when photographs were made for Hornor’s Blue Book. Joseph Packard Laird, Sr. MD (1876-1927) may have acquired the chest in the early years of the twentieth century though it is not known whether he commissioned the work or if it had been done prior to his acquisition of the chest. There is no way to know when the restoration work was done or how long the current brass has been with the chest.

There is not a clear witness on the drawers of an earlier set of handles. I didn’t remove any of the current handles at the auction preview, I suspect that will be done soon, if it hasn’t already, to determine if any information can be obtained about a design of the original brass.