Blanket Chest
This chest is made using highly figured quartersawn and riftsawn cherry.
The design was found in Pleasant Hill Shaker Furniture, a book by Kerry Pierce. One wonders if the decorative bottom cutout would have been acceptable in the more conservative New England Shaker communities.
The top includes breadboard ends, often found on Shaker dining tables. Because the grain of the ends is perpendicular to the grain of the top's "field," it is essential that the ends accomodate seasonal expansion and contraction of the width of the field.
Traditional blanket chests include a sliding tray or "till" that would hold gloves and other small items, so they did not get lost in stacks of blankets.
The bottom of the chest is within the sides and ends. If it were solid wood, seasonal expansion and contraction would cause severe problems. A frame-and-panel design can accomodate seasonal movement within the bottom itself.
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