Pennsylvania unicorn dower chest
Unicorn Dower Chest
Bern Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania
1788
pine with original polychrome decoration and hardware
H 22 ¾", W 50", D 21 ¾"
This important Pennsylvania-German chest is profusely decorated with rampant black unicorns, horses and riders, putto, birds, and pots of tulips on a blue-painted ground. The original polychromed surface is in excellent condition on pine and retains the original hardware.
I-0001
Literature: Keller, “Black-Unicorn Chests of Berks County, Pennsylvania”, The Magazine Antiques (October 1991).