Philadelphia Chippendale Bonnet-Top Highboy - *Please ask for a shipping quote before you buy.

An exceptional late 18th-century Philadelphia Chippendale bonnet-top mahogany 10-drawer highboy, featuring a striking broken-arch pediment crowned with five original hand-carved flame finials, all present. Rich in period craftsmanship and regional character, this highboy displays many of the hallmark design elements associated with fine Philadelphia-area cabinetmaking of the late 1700s.

The upper case is adorned with a beautifully executed carved shell motif, while the lower section features elegant hand-carved cabriole legs accented with acanthus leaf carving, with classic ball-and-claw feet. Fluted columns on each side frame the top, lending both visual balance and architectural sophistication. The larger drawers retain their distinctive batwing (willow-form) brass bail pulls, and the wavy apron reflects both English and early American Chippendale styling.

Drawer construction shows hand-cut dovetail joinery with visible scribe lines. The highboy descended through a family of undertakers and cabinetmakers who relocated from the Philadelphia region to south-central Pennsylvania in the early 19th century. During this era, funeral directors were often highly skilled cabinetmakers, and this family carefully maintained and preserved their furnishings over generations, proudly displaying pieces such as this within their business.

As expected with an antique of this age, there have been historic restorations and maintenance over the years. Several drawer bottoms have been replaced, and the rear panel of the upper case appears to have been professionally restored many decades ago. The upper back is secured with early flat-head screws that appear machine-made, though the slots may have been hand-cut. These restorations are consistent with the long-term preservation of an important period piece.

The finish remains in very good condition for its age, displaying a warm, desirable patina with only minor wear and light impressions to the top surface of the lower case where the upper section rests. A clean break to one finial has been repaired, and new dowels were fitted to three of the five finials after the originals had deteriorated over time. Importantly, the finials had been carefully stored within the piece and retained with the highboy.

This remarkable example of early American craftsmanship was acquired from a longtime local collector whose family owned the property and furnishings for more than 70 years. The highboy is currently available for in-person inspection at Bootleg Antiques during regular business hours. Additional photographs and videos will be shared through our social media channels. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or for further details.

Dimension:
Lenght - 42"
Height - 79"
Depth - 22"

*PLEASE ask us for a shipping quote before purchasing! The Etsy shipping calculator is not designed for large furniture pieces and we have to manually input the shipping for every individual furniture listing. That being said, please provide us with your zip code and we will find a competitive shipping quote for your area. If you accept the quote, just let us know and we will add this cost to the listing for online checkout. Our shipping estimate will be for a door-to-door blanket wrap shipping service. Delivery times vary depending on how fast we can find a shipper and how well-traveled certain areas are.

**Location/availability - For our customers who are local to the south central Pennsylvania area, this piece is also on display for in person purchase in our showroom upstairs in Bootleg Antiques at 135 Bridge St. Columbia, PA 17512. Their hours are Wednesday 10-5, Thursday 10-5, Friday 10-8, Saturday 10-5, and Sunday 1-5. (Closed Mondays and Tuesdays) Additionally, in person purchases at Bootleg Antiques over $100 (unless marked firm) get 10% off!