Clothes Press
Period1790 - 1810
MediumWalnut, white pine and tulip poplar
Dimensions80.5 × 48 × 20 in. (204.5 × 121.9 × 50.8 cm)
ClassificationsStorage Furniture
Credit LineGift of Mrs. Rachel C. Matthews, 1982
Object number1982.8.1
DescriptionA clothes or linen press in two parts. The upper section possesses a finely molded cornice above a band of figured mahogany veneer, two beaded flat panel doors with double cyma curved top rails, original brass escutcheons, and chamfered front corners that are fluted. The lower section includes three graduated drawers that are flanked by vertical fluted panels, original oval stamped and gilded brasses, small oval brass escutcheons, and four boldly executed ogee bracket feet below a gadrooned base molding.Curatorial RemarksDistinguished by its exceptional detailing, this clothes or linen press is similar to others labeled by or attributed to Matthew Egerton Sr. (ca. 1739 - 1802) and Matthew Egerton Jr. (ca. 1765 - 1837) of New Brunswick, Middlesex County. Of particular note are the heavily molded cornice, a shallow top shelf, original stamped brass hardware, large ogee bracket feet, and a country interpretation of gadrooning around the base. Another workmanship item also observed is a lack of dustboards between the drawers.NotesAccording to the donor, the clothes press descended in the Conover family of the Freehold area. Its potential line of descent is as follows: Daniel D. Conover (1800 - 1861) of Colts Neck, an early owner but apparently not the first; to his son Garret Vanderveer Conover (1838 - 1935); to his daughter Aletta Conover Mount (1873 - 1933); to her daughter the donor, Rachel Mount Matthews (1902 - 1990). For other pieces of furniture from the same early owners, see accession numbers 2015.17.1 and 2015.17.2, 2015.17.3, and 2015.17.6.
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