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. The only way to make the seat slide forward and reveal its secret was by pressing and holding four switches simultaneously: two for the power door locks and two for the windows.” The man was some sort of genius.How to Find Hidden Compartments in Chippendale Furniture Koerner mentions one trap installed behind the back seat of a truck, “which Anaya had rigged with a set of hydraulic cylinders linked to the vehicle’s electrical system. Anaya built intricate, almost undetectable secret compartments that could only be opened by hitting various buttons and switches in succession. Koerner wrote about Alfred Anaya, a California man who was among the best trap-car builders in the land. Earlier this year in Wired, sometime Slate contributor Brendan I. The most sophisticated of these “traps” look like the sort of thing you’d see in spy movies. These days, the best secret compartments are usually found in vehicles, where they are often used by criminals to conceal drugs, weapons, or other contraband. If we can agree that there’s nothing lamer than an inept secret compartment, let’s also stipulate that there’s nothing more impressive than a good one.
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