# calling all historians...what monument is depicted herein? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 13, 2009, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-historians-what-monument-is-depicted-herein/521066 "2009-12-13T04:06:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mrrealtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@mrrealtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrrealtime)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-historians-what-monument-is-depicted-herein/521066/1 "2009-12-13T04:06:29Z")
Asking the teeming millions: "What monument is depicted in this handle of an oak chest of drawers c. 1750?[http://www.northeastmagic.com/mysteryhandle.jpg](http://www.northeastmagic.com/mysteryhandle.jpg) I’m trying to figure out if this is American or British or ? its certainly a lovely piece and the image seems familiar although Ive been unable to find it on the internets. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-historians-what-monument-is-depicted-herein/521066/2 "2009-12-13T13:00:49Z")
I doubt it is a specific monument, but rather a generic “let’s put one of those Classical gazebos on the drawer pull, you know, one of those Greek or Roman things.” ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-historians-what-monument-is-depicted-herein/521066/3 "2009-12-13T13:13:35Z")
All I see is a flying saucer hovering and abducting some unfortunate person via some sort of attractor beam. Which clearly suggests that the chest of drawers is a recent fake, made sometime in the 1970’s. Or maybe it was made in a factory controlled by the aliens, and made by abducted people. This is their version, of “Help I’m being held prisoner in an alien controlled furniture factory!” OK, it’s late and I have to work in the morning. I should lay off the cognac. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-historians-what-monument-is-depicted-herein/521066/4 "2009-12-13T13:25:06Z")
Looks Greek. ---
**Author:** ![Bag\_of\_Mostly\_Water](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bag_of_mostly_water/32/1029_2.png) [@Bag\_of\_Mostly\_Water](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bag_of_Mostly_Water)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-historians-what-monument-is-depicted-herein/521066/5 "2009-12-13T13:27:11Z")
It does look a bit like the [Pulgas Water Temple](http://sfwater.org/mto_main.cfm/MC_ID/20/MSC_ID/177/MTO_ID/308). However, the roof does not match and the Pulgas Water Temple opened on October 28, 1934. ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-historians-what-monument-is-depicted-herein/521066/6 "2009-12-13T13:31:37Z")
Maybe too vague to be anything specific?-- the few details that are there argue against my initial first guess (Athena Pronaia), and looks more someone caber-tossing than Aphrodite of Knidos, too. ---
**Author:** ![mrrealtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@mrrealtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrrealtime)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-historians-what-monument-is-depicted-herein/521066/7 "2009-12-13T13:49:51Z")
Bing bing bing! you win what’s behind alien cocoon #4! ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-historians-what-monument-is-depicted-herein/521066/8 "2009-12-13T14:12:45Z")
Nevermind ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-historians-what-monument-is-depicted-herein/521066/9 "2009-12-14T01:06:41Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Looks Greek. Not Greek. The Greeks didn’t do domes. It looks like fairy common generic 1920s neoclassicism to me, and the curve of the handle suggests the same period. I doubt that it represents any actual structure. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-historians-what-monument-is-depicted-herein/521066/10 "2009-12-14T02:17:32Z")
It looks a bit like the Georgia State Seal: [Seal of Georgia - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_State_Seal) ---
**Author:** ![mrrealtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@mrrealtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrrealtime)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-historians-what-monument-is-depicted-herein/521066/11 "2009-12-14T02:32:25Z")
I thought it might be something American, but as others said, he’s holding some kind of spear, or caber, not really a sword, and there are 4 pillars. It still seems too odd to be strictly decorative…I can’t really accept that its just a hepplewhite handle although they were fairly clearly added later. Originally it appears to have had either tear drop or wooden pulls. ---
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-historians-what-monument-is-depicted-herein/521066/12 "2009-12-14T02:53:46Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > I doubt it is a specific monument, but rather a generic “let’s put one of those Classical gazebos on the drawer pull, you know, one of those Greek or Roman things.” Yes, it appears to be a generic [folly](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folly) of a type popular in grand 18th century French and English gardens. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-historians-what-monument-is-depicted-herein/521066/13 "2009-12-14T04:41:46Z")
Looks like a bandleader to me. 76 trombones immediately started playing in my head when I looked at it. So, yeah, thanks for that! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-historians-what-monument-is-depicted-herein/521066/14 "2009-12-14T04:44:26Z")
Looks more like a caber tosser to me.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-historians-what-monument-is-depicted-herein/521066/15 "2009-12-14T05:30:17Z")
> [@mrrealtime](#): > > Asking the teeming millions: "What monument is depicted in this handle of an oak chest of drawers c. 1750?[http://www.northeastmagic.com/mysteryhandle.jpg](http://www.northeastmagic.com/mysteryhandle.jpg) > > I’m trying to figure out if this is American or British or ? its certainly a lovely piece and the image seems familiar although Ive been unable to find it on the internets. Do you know if the chest is possibly from a naval vessel or has some seafaring history? The purely subjective image that occurs to my mind is that the little statue in the temple is Poseidon holding his trident. Like in this picture: [http://atheism.about.com/library/FAQs/religion/blgrk\_poseidon02.htm](http://atheism.about.com/library/FAQs/religion/blgrk_poseidon02.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-historians-what-monument-is-depicted-herein/521066/16 "2009-12-14T06:04:32Z")
Here, I found almost the same style of handle with temple and statue. 19th century English Georgian oak chest of drawers. Circa 1820-30. The picture of the statue is a little clearer, but it is obviously in the same style. That should get you pointed in the right direction. [http://www.rubylane.com/shops/placebellecour/item/VL-093](http://www.rubylane.com/shops/placebellecour/item/VL-093) Click on the side picture to get an enlargement of the handle. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-historians-what-monument-is-depicted-herein/521066/17 "2009-12-14T10:51:55Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > Not Greek. The Greeks didn’t do domes. > > It looks like fairy common generic 1920s neoclassicism to me, and the curve of the handle suggests the same period. I doubt that it represents any actual structure. Roman, then? ---
**Author:** ![APB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e8cbc/32.png) [@APB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/APB)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-historians-what-monument-is-depicted-herein/521066/18 "2009-12-14T11:47:09Z")
I strongly suspect that the design will be ultimately based on, even if only loosely inspired by, the stylised depiction of a specific temple on a Roman coin. Something like the [Temple of Mars Ultor](http://davy.potdevin.free.fr/2%20Roman%20coins%20I%20Augustus%20to%20Vitellius/1-augustus/ric68_8500chf.jpg) or the [Temple of Vesta](http://davy.potdevin.free.fr/2%20Roman%20coins%20I%20Augustus%20to%20Vitellius/5-nero/ric61_10000chf.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![mrrealtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@mrrealtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrrealtime)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-historians-what-monument-is-depicted-herein/521066/19 "2009-12-14T14:26:24Z")
[Here](http://www.northeastmagic.com/drawersthing.jpg) is another image for those fellow “furniture sleuths” out there. The hand forged nails, extensive worming and color put it, in my mind, around 1720-1750. I have some 17th century furniture and books to directly compare it to, and it seems pretty close. I’m happy to be wrong though, as oddly enough it doesnt seem to have much effect on the value. Better to be educated than patronized! [http://www.northeastmagic.com/drawersthing.jpg](http://www.northeastmagic.com/drawersthing.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Corner\_Case](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/corner_case/32/234_2.png) [@Corner\_Case](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corner_Case)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-historians-what-monument-is-depicted-herein/521066/20 "2009-12-14T18:57:20Z")
Other than the correct answers by mrrealtime and ghardester, it looks like a tribute to janitors. You know, they have to use long poles and clean the cobwebs out of tall places like the tops of columns. The custodial engineers get step stools while the apprentices just have to move the busts and stand on pedestals when no one’s watching. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-historians-what-monument-is-depicted-herein/521066.md?page=2)