plans for hidden compartments in furniture

Some of these boards may only be slid open by carefully using a fingernail or thin knife to nudge and lift them. False bottoms and moveable boards are other features to look for.Put your hand back in the space and feel around the sides to determine any irregularities. If the drawer size is smaller than you expected given space, keep looking. Gently pull out any drawers you can and assess the size of the drawer compared to space from which it came. A Sliding Dovetail key is a small piece of wood set into a dovetailed groove that can slide and can also lock a hidden drawer of the compartment. Look for Sliding Dovetail keys that slips into matching mortise or attempt to slide pieces in areas you’ve never thought to before to see if any of them move.Gently inspect and touch dividers to see if any of them are hollow, or perhaps even spring-loaded buttons hidden in hand-carved details.Remove visible, obvious drawers and begin looking for panels on the sides.The only way to release it and open the drawer again is to feel underneath with a finger and physically push the lath upwards while pulling the drawer out with the other hand. As the drawer is pushed into its opening, the lath flexes upward against the underside and as it passes the threshold of the rail it snaps straight with a soft, ‘clunk’, locking the drawer into position. A thin, straight lath of flexible timber is set at a shallow angle at the rear of a drawer bottom so that the other end is slightly below the level of the front. Check all crown molding, some of them may contain hidden drawers using a very simple locking mechanism, called a spring lock or Quaker lock.Dividers may be hollow to create small spaces for extra drawers or a hidden compartment far at the back of a drawer itself.Decorative valances in the pigeonholes may hide small drawers.And in some cases, a multitude of secret elements. Most master craftsmen, including Thomas Chippendale, often felt they should take advantage of the, “wasted,” space occupied by structural elements and moldings by incorporating a hidden area or secret drawer. Some of the most common furniture types that often include a hidden compartment with regularity are spice chests, fall-front desks, and blanket chests. There are a few visual clues to look for when it comes to accessing whether you may have hidden compartments in your Chippendale. How do I know if there’s a hidden compartment? Some Chippendale antique owners have had their Chippendale desks for generations and are just discovering these secret places either on accident or after attempts at refurbishment by a professional. Chippendale’s genius in timber has made for some interesting means of hiding compartments and areas. The Queen Anne style, Escritoire, or Secretary Desks often had many hidden compartments built into them.įinding them as an owner of a genuine Chippendale whether you’ve newly acquired one or have had one in your family for years, maybe a challenge. Secret compartments for money, securities, documents, jewelry, perhaps a silver plate or a will or a place to hide carefully written confessions were often included in many of Chippendales' furniture. There are, of course, more than just Chippendale’s unforgettable style to many of his creations. Floating panels indoors were given sufficient room to shrink over time without splitting, which is one of the many reasons why authentic Chippendale furniture remains in superb conditions even today.

What seems like a relatively simple and plain mahogany piece, for example, upon further inspection one can note he would experiment with cross-grain rather than long-grain on molding to add refinement where other furniture makers would not or would not think of it. Incredible and fanciful, sturdy and extremely well made Chinoiserie cabinets, the shift from Rococo to Neoclassical not only showcased his incredible design talent but a beautiful execution that has become timeless.Ĭhippendale had a brilliant understanding of wood and its various qualities. Chippendale has become synonymous with the greatest works of timber art with the celebrated and historic book, The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker’s Director. Which was at that time, a first in English history. Thomas Chippendale’s furniture became so well-known for its undeniable elegance and beauty that his incredible furniture style, as well as design, was named after him. How to Find Hidden Compartments in Chippendale Furniture

Plans for hidden compartments in furniture