John Keith Russell

A Blanket Chest from the Canterbury, New Hampshire Shaker community retaining a rare and desirable original Meetinghouse blue painted surface. To the Shakers, the color blue was imbued with spiritual meaning. It was used rarely—only on objects and interior architecture designated for the Meetinghouse or other sacred spaces/uses, so there are few pieces of Shaker furniture with their original Prussian blue painted surface. ¶ Pine with dovetailed case, fitted with a hinged till, and standing on an ogee bracket base. A small portion of the left rear ogee leg is replaced. ¶ Provenance: Douglas and Connie Hamel, Chichester, NH; a Maine collector.