This highboy, or tall chest of drawers, is an exact replica of one originally owned by the first governor of Connecticut, John Haynes, Lord Porter. It is now in a private collection. Although Lord Porter spent most of his life in New England, he was an Englishman at heart and his furniture reflected that. His highboy, built in the Massachusetts Bay Colony some time after 1635, replicated a style of furniture popular in London at the time. While English cabinetmakers increasingly used exotic woods such as mahogany, Colonial cabinetmakers used the woods plentiful in New England's forests, mainly oak and pine. This highboy, therefore, represents not only a priceless piece of antique furniture but also a glimpse into our past.
