Harinero, grain chest, Velarde chest

Dateearly 19th Century

Mediumpine wood and iron

Dimensions49 1/2 × 95 3/4 × 30 in. (125.7 × 243.2 × 76.2 cm)

ClassificationsTools & Equipment for Materials

Credit LineAlbuquerque Museum, gift of Ward Alan Minge and Shirley Jolly Minge

Object numberPC1997.51.123

DescriptionLarge wooden grain chest or harinero made by the Velarde Family of Valdez, New Mexico.
Open mortise and tenon construction reinforced with pegs; has iron strap hinges, hasp, and lock plate. The front of the chest is made of four framed panels each panel is beveled around the edges and divided vertically by double rows of zigzag chips carving creating eight separate design surfaces each carved with a circular rosette at the center. The top and bottom rails are chip carved along inside edges; the center rail is carved with a zigzag down each side and a wide center chip carved line. Front stiles are carved with a similar design between the mortises; sides are each made of two panels of unequal widths beveled at the top and sides with a straight cut bottom edge. The bottom of the chest is made from two unequal boards that rest on side rails. The top is constructed of one long plank across the back of the chest with one large board held by strap hinges to function as a lid. A smaller board viewer left is nailed to the top and side rails of the chest. Edges of small board and lid are supported by a cleat let into top rails.

The front, top and bottom rails are decorated with half circular borders made with a compass. Harinero has two hand forged knuckle hinges holding lid to back boards and fastened with hand forged nails. Hinge viewer left is wider than strap viewer right and only decoration is tulip shaped finial. Hinge viewer right has a tri-lobed top and tapers to an arrowhead shaped finial. Hinge is decorated with incised chevrons and punched circles. Tail strap and drop hasp are approximately at the center of the lid (tail strap is the same as hinge viewer right, drop hasp has square top and a long shank ending in a turned finger pull with roughly heart-shaped finial. Drop hasp is decorated with incised x’s and punched circles. Plain oval lock plate covering mortice—lock let into the front of the chest and is held with hand forged nails. Tenon step towards bottom of the hasp doesn’t line up with the slot in lock plane for sliding bolt. All iron work is probably repairs or replacements.

On View

On view

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