July, 1917 
21 
From out of Sweden comes an old wedding chest hound with 
decorative pierced metal hands and resting on curious ball feet. 
Courtesy of Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art 
Among the Pennsylvania Dutch the dower chest was a familiar 
piece of furniture. This is an old chest repainted in the old 
Bavarian manner in brilliant colors by Abbot McClure 
The Italian cassone reached great deco¬ 
rative height in the ISth Century. This 
Florentine example has relief designs 
on ivood, gilded. Painted panels 
Both chests above are of German ori¬ 
gin. They are bound in iron. The 
smaller has a decorative panel which 
shows an early Oriental influence 
The cassone above and the one directly 
below constitute a pair of Florentine 
chests richly decorated with gilded re¬ 
lief work and painted panels 
In South Ger¬ 
many the feudal 
chest was a won¬ 
derfully wrought 
affair. The box 
to the left is iron 
banded with 
floriated strip 
and rosettes and 
decorated with 
painted panels. 
Note the old 
padlocks 
. 
The flat or indented carving of this 11th Century oak chest 
gives it a remarkably decorative value. It is wood-pegged 
throughout. Courtesy of the Pennsylvania Historical Society 
Another example of the Pennsylvania Dutch dower chest shows 
the characteristic coloring and design of the decoration. It 
bears the owner's name above one decoration and is dated 1785 
