Highboy Armoires

America's post-Revolutionary War period saw a significant spike in quality furniture production. The highboy was emblematic of the moment in history. Originally created in Georgian England, the highboy, or chest-on-stand, offered two levels of vertical storage, featuring a wide set of bottom drawers mounted on turned legs topped by a slightly narrower chest of drawers. Often reaching seven feet tall or more, the top drawers could often only be reached with the help of a footstool or chair.

Not only did the highboy fulfill the need for more storage space, they became an immensely popular item thanks to American cabinetmakers' fine hand craftsmanship and meticulous carvings.

These pieces, which reached the height of their popularity in the last quarter of the 18th century, still have cachet for modern collectors. Designer devotees include the late decorating luminary Albert Hadley and neo-Classical design doyenne Bunny Williams. With imposing presence and beauty, highboy armoires represent the pinnacle of American furniture design.

Quick Facts

• In 1961, Henry Francis du Pont, heir to the chemical family’s fortune, donated a fine highboy to the American Museum in Bath, England
• Highboys were rarely made after 1775, when low-standing chests of drawers, bureaus, and dressing tables began taking their place
• In January 2016, a rare Queen Anne cherry miniature highboy produced in Pennsylvania (circa 1730) sold at Sotheby’s for $15,000