Leslie Keno: The term Hadley was coined in 1883 by the Hartford collector Henry Wood Erving, who discovered a chest of this type in Hadley, Massachusetts. Our example is carved and painted oak and pine with two drawers. It was made in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, around 1720 and has a frame and panel construction: mortise and tenon joints connect the rails and stiles, framing the inside panels.

Leigh Keno: This piece is known as the HN chest because of the carved initials on the front, which are believed to stand for Hannah Noble, most likely the name of the original owner.

Leslie: Paint samples taken from it reveal that the top and upper rail were painted a deep red, the inset and side panels a brilliant Prussian blue, and the two stiles flanking the center panel white.

Leigh: The sides were left unpainted. Many Hadley chests were simply stained red. This one is extremely rare because it has multiple colors as well as its original paint.

Leslie: The Prussian blue is a synthetic pigment first made in Berlin in 1704 and available in the Colonies by about 1714. Pre-mixed paints were not available until well into the 19th century, so furniture makers of the period ground their own pigments.

Leigh: You can see the paint from the maker's fingers on the back of the panels where he held them before inserting them into the case. The paint is very vivid because it wasn't exposed to air. Because of the adornment and its two drawers, this chest would have been expensive. A less expensive version would have been unpainted without any drawers, just a simple paneled chest. This one also has a lift lid that opens to a storage well.

Leslie: The carvings are unique in American and English furniture. The mushroom and hear motifs are wonderful, along with the stamens, pistils, stylized tulips, and geometric designs.

Leigh: Not only were Hadley chests decorative, they also played a symbolic role in colonial life as dowry chests or hope chests. In anticipation of marriage, families of young women between ten and 17 commissioned chests with their maiden initials carved on front.

Leslie: Some were prepared to be presented to the groom and his family as part of a dowry. The chests would be filled with wedding garments, table linens, and bed fabrics spun by the bride to be taken into her new home. Learning to spin linen and wool was an important part of a young woman's education.

Leigh: Textiles would have been stored after the wedding had taken place. Many chests were actually fitted with locks so that the precious articles inside could be protected. It gives new insight to the phrase "comes with a lot of baggage."

Leslie: I can't help but smile, thinking about who Hannah was, what she was all about, whom she married.

Leigh: When this came up in an auction in New England, I had to decide in one day whether the paint was original, which can make a huge difference in value. Many such chests were refinished in the 1920s and '30s, so it's amazing that this one survived intact. I remember looking inside, seeing the vibrant blue on the back of the panels and realizing that the paint was original.

Leslie: Roughly 125 of these chests have been documented, but not all have been discovered. If I were a young treasure hunter, I'd head toward Hadley, Massachusetts.

Leigh: There are probably still a few left in attics and basements. I'd knock on some doors.