American Federal Figured Mahogany Armoire

Very Fine American Federal Figured Mahogany Armoire , early 19th c., flared molded cornice, paneled doors, shelf interior with two drawers, beehive legs, brass ball feet, h. 93 1/4 in., w. 65 1/2 in., d. 25 in., with key . Provenance: Descended in the Family of John Joor Barrow (1833-1890) of Highland Plantation and Olivia Ruffin Barrow (1836-1859) of Greenwood Plantation. Shown here is an image of a portrait of John Joor Barrow as a child. Barrow served as Captain in the 11th Louisiana Infantry in the Civil War, was seriously wounded at Shiloh and resigned from the C.S.A. In later life he was active in politics, serving in the Louisiana legislature, as Sheriff of West Feliciana Parish and in the Louisiana Senate. The extended Barrow family settled in the Felicianas during Spanish Colonial rule. Their landmark plantations, in addition to Highland and Greenwood, include Afton Villa, Rosale and Rosedown. Note: The Louisiana mahogany armoire in the current lot is related to two examples illustrated in Furnishing Louisiana: Creole and Acadian Furniture, 1735-1835, fig. 17, pp. 140-141 and fig. 115, p. 212. Like fig. 17 it has an extended frieze and straight ferruled brass ball feet mounted on evolved Sheraton beehive legs. It shares with fig. 115 a flared cornice, inset panel doors and more exuberant beehive feet.