Monumental yet practical, the chest-on-chest provided maximum storage in an artistic package. It supplanted the high chest of drawers (“high boy”) in mid-18thcentury England, but only a few Americans welcomed the sophisticated new design. Standing nearly eight feet tall, this roomy Philadelphia example features decorative elements chosen to emphasize height. Fluted quarter-round columns bracket the form, countering the strong horizontal movement of stacked drawers. The current brasses are not original, but they serve the same aesthetic function as earlier sets. Gleaming against dark wood, repeating gilt metal shapes move the eye upwards towards a dramatic finish: set between foliate scrolls is an extravagant basket of flowers superbly carved by John Pollard, who worked in partnership with Richard Butts at a shop called “the Sign of the Chinese Shield.” His fragile flower basket has recently been restored to its original glory.