Artist’s Pigment Chest

It wasn’t until 1841 and the invention of the paint tube that artists had to keep their own stores of the various dry pigments used in their work. Most used small quantities that suppliers sold in small glass vials or jars. Others kept much more on hand and likely used a chest like this to store it all.

Usually referred to as apothecary chests, pieces like this were indeed used by early druggists but also commonly held seeds, herbs, etc. As far as I can tell though, this kid only ever held pigment and other materials for the mixture of paints or the painting process including “glue” which likely references the animal based hide glue utilized in the priming of a canvas.

The drawers and original mahogany case are all dovetailed and seem to be circa late 18th-early 19th century. Drawer fronts are also mahogany while the bodies are pine… some retain staining from the pigments they held.

At some point around the 1920s it received an overhaul with new sides, top, bottom and back boards as well as brass campaign corners. Strangely whoever did the work left the earlier case inside and intact. It (the earlier case) shows rot and insect damage near the bottom and along the back left edge but I have not completely removed it from the newer enclosure.