Blanket Chest
Cherry Hope Chest
Cherry is one of the most sought after wood types to create hope chests. When America was first settled by European immigrants, trees were in great abundance. Cherry wood was easily found in the Eastern forests of America which helped to make it a preferential wood type for blanket chests. Cherry is a dense hardwood that carpenters enjoy working with since it has an enduring quality, fairly even wood grain patterns and holds stain very nicely. The dark coloration of the stain was also a desirable color since many people liked to enhance the outside of their cherry blanket chests with decorative floral designs. The dark shading enhanced the lighter colored designs that were either painted on or carved, such as the inlay designs which were filled with sulfur.
One of the most favored design styles of cherry hope chests to be copied in America from European styles was the Queen Anne style. What was interesting was that even though people here called it 'Queen Anne', the design elements were very different than the 'Queen Anne' style furniture being made in Europe, most especially in England. American carpenters took this style and made it their own. All along the Eastern seaboard, every city had its own version of the queen Anne style. So, of course , all of the cherry hope chests would have been made in each of these distinctive styles. All of these blanket chest had beautiful flowing design elements and a wonderful assortment of leg patterns.
The Shakers and the Amish people of Pennsylvania made cherry hope chests with a very high degree of skill since it was part of their work ethic to do so. These blanket chests are the ones which have made it through the centuries in better shape than most due to the dovetail joinery and mortise and tenon joinery which the wood crofters of these communities chose to use. These cherry hope chests are highly prized by collectors also because of the beautiful designs that these German immigrants painted on the outside areas. These blanket chests usually had the name of the person who received the hope chest inscribed somewhere on the outside or on the inside of the lid. This has allowed historians to place where these blanket chests were created and also has helped to find the name of the original wood artisan.
Many of the blanket chests made today are replicas of the cherry hope chests handcrafted by the early settlers of America. These antique reproductions are extremely popular with most furniture buyers since their styling has never really gone out of style. Even if the hope chest is not the same design pattern as the rest of the furniture in the home, these blanket chests have a way of fitting right in and creating a warm addition to a homes decor. Hope chest furniture can be used as end tables, buffet tables,coffee tables, side boards,as an extra cozy seating area and as entryway sideboards .The extra storage that they provide is also something that many people are looking for in furniture since they reside in smaller living areas than what they would prefer.
There are so many great choices of blanket chest furniture to choose from today. When looking for the wood storage chest which will fit right into your homes decor, handcrafted cherry hope chests made by skilled carpenters will give you a piece of furniture of lasting quality that can be enjoyed now and by your future generations. Blanket Chest Heirlooms.com has beautiful examples of cherry hope chests handcrafted by the Amish.
About the Author
Charity Crouch is an Art History major.
I recommend Blanket Chest Heirlooms.com which offers a great selection of handcrafted cherry hope chests and reproduction hope chests constructed from beautiful hardwoods. These distinctive blanket chests add warmth to your furnishing decor.
Woodworking-Oak Blanket Chest
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 ANTIQUE PAINT DECORATED BLANKET CHEST DOVETAILED GRABBER LOCK KEY $425.00 Time Remaining: 6d 3h 31m Buy It Now for only: $425.00 Buy It Now |
 Antique New England Country Primitive Old Green Paint Pine Blanket Chest W Till $355.00 (15 Bids) Time Remaining: 2d 4h 56m |
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 RARE Antique ARTS CRAFTS Carved Enameled Blanket Chest Stickley Era w1607 $2,640.00 Time Remaining: 1d 4h 59m |
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 SOLID ANTIQUE HAND CRAFTED WOOD BLANKET CHEST TRUNK 1880S CIRCA $69.99 Time Remaining: 24d 57m Buy It Now for only: $69.99 Buy It Now |
 1890 1900S WOODEN BLANKET STORAGE CHEST $95.00 Time Remaining: 3d 1h 51m |
 MINI BLANKET CHEST WOODEN BOX MADE OF TIGER MAPLE $33.00 (5 Bids) Time Remaining: 1d 3h 7m |
 ANTIQUE GOLDEN OAK ART DECO FLORAL CARVED BLANKET QUILT HOPE CHEST TRUNK ON LEGS $199.95 Time Remaining: 1d 3h 32m |
 ANTIQUE PRIMITIVE EARLY 1900s BLANKET TOOL CHEST TRUNK STRONG $165.00 Time Remaining: 17d 4h 22m Buy It Now for only: $165.00 Buy It Now |
 Nice Early Cir 1900 Trunk Blanket Chest Original Mustard Grain Primitive Antique $199.00 Time Remaining: 5d 2h 9m Buy It Now for only: $245.00 Buy It Now |
 Nice pair of old hand forged 20 door or blanket chest hinges very useful $25.00 Time Remaining: 1d 18h 13m |
 Dollhouse Miniature Tole Blanket Chest Handpainted Artisan Signed Tish JL $80.99 (9 Bids) Time Remaining: 1d 5h 16m |
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 Country Pine 1850 Blanket Chest 6 Board Trunk or Bench $695.00 Time Remaining: 21d 18h 18m Buy It Now for only: $695.00 Buy It Now |
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 Antique Handmade Southern Yellow Pine Blanket Chest Virginia $475.00 Time Remaining: 5d 3h 7m Buy It Now for only: $475.00 Buy It Now |
 1920 30s Antique Art Deco Style Cedar Lined Blanket Chest $100.00 Time Remaining: 6d 23h 22m Buy It Now for only: $300.00 Buy It Now |
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 Carolina Cottage Camden Hardwood Blanket Chest, Antique Black List Price: Sale Price: $198.57 You save: $70.42 (26%)  Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product DescriptionUsed at the foot of the bed for linens or as a coffee table with hidden storage, this classic blanket chest adds weight and character to your room.  |
 Carolina Cottage Camden Blanket Chest List Price: Sale Price: $187.00 You save: $42.99 (19%) Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 2-3 business days See Reviews For This Product DescriptionUsed at the foot of the bed for linens or as a coffee table with hidden storage, this classic blanket chest adds weight and character to your room. |
 Camden Blanket Chest in Antique Ivory List Price: Sale Price: $229.99 You save: $270.00 (54%) Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days See Reviews For This Product Description4119-AI Hand carved chest in antique ivory This beautiful blanket chest features casual styling and an antique ivory finish. Ideal for storage at the end of your bed or near your living room couch, this piece offers a beautiful storage option... |
 Simply Shabby Chic® Classic Blanket Chest - Sour Cream List Price: Sale Price: $153.99 You save: $66.00 (30%) Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product |
 Strawberry Shortcake Soft & Cuddly Baby Blanket Sale Price: $11.95 Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days See Reviews For This Product DescriptionStrawberry Shortcake Soft & Cuddly Baby Infant Blanket |
 iCarly iPlay fleece blanket throw Sale Price: $17.50 Eligible for free shipping!See Reviews For This Product DescriptioniCarly fleece blanket throw 50 x 60 inches |
 Blanket Chests: Outstanding Designs from 30 of the World's Finest Furniture Makers List Price: Sale Price: $14.85 You save: $10.10 (40%) Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Not yet published See Reviews For This Product DescriptionNo project has more universal appeal among woodworkers at every skill level than the blanket chest. It’s a simple form — essentially a large box with a lid — and yet it can be complex, elaborate, and intricately detailed... |
 'Mover's Choice' Large Padded Moving - Furniture Blanket - 80" X 72" List Price: Sale Price: $9.99 You save: $15.00 (60%) Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 2-3 business days See Reviews For This Product DescriptionOne individual moving blanket; also available by the dozen. One-year warranty and Jack's Tool Shed worry-free Satisfaction Guarantee. |
 SEI Iron/Wicker Storage Chest List Price: Sale Price: $164.26 You save: $31.19 (16%) Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days See Reviews For This Product DescriptionThis versatile six drawer wicker storage chest really could work anywhere. Use your imagination or just let your needs dictate where and for what you use it. |
 Household Essentials 1862 Natural Canvas Underbed Storage Chest List Price: Sale Price: $12.06 You save: $0.93 (7%) Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product DescriptionThis underbed chest from WHITNEY DESIGN(#1862) helps take advantage of blanket and clothing storage space that would otherwise be unusable. The zippered lid on the chest allows easy access while the clear plastic lid makes for easy viewing of contents... |
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Black Lacquer Daily Life Trunk (China) $779.99 This Ming dynasty-era blanket chest features lacquered brass butterfly hasps and is finished with a medium gloss black lacquer and hand-painted with a traditional oriental village scene in muted, antiqued colors. |
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Blanket Chests (Paperback) $16.31 Description not available. |
