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A Berks County, Pennsylvania Painted Chest and Fraktur

Description
This painted chest has colorful floral and geometric motifs in strong red, white, and blue colors. The ends are painted with a large circle of four concentric hearts flanked by a pair of baluster columns. At the center front is the name of the original owner, Eva Dunkel, and the date of 1785. Born in 1768, Eva lived in Greenwich Township, Berks County, PA and was about seventeen years of age when she received this chest. She died in 1815 and is buried at Dunkels Reformed Church in Lenhartsville. Two very similar chests were made for other members of the Dunkel family; see Monroe Fabian, The Pennsylvania-German Decorated Chest, figs. 69 and 70. The chest is in excellent condition, with wear to the lid as is typical of these chests. The lock is an old replacement. There are three original secret drawers underneath the till compartment, hidden behind a molded strip of wood that can be carefully slid out to expose the drawers.

Accompanying the chest is a fraktur birth and baptismal certificate made for Eva Dunkel's son, Jacob, in 1797. It was made by schoolmaster Conrad Gilbert.

Origin:	United States, Pennsylvania
Period:	18th Century
Condition:	Good.
Creation Date:	1785
Styles / Movements:	Folk Art, Americana, Traditional
Dealer Reference #:	A-110
Incollect Reference #:	152411