Reproduction Hope Chest | Features and Options
- Crafted in solid hardwood:
- Cherry – exotic color, stylish, strong, ages beautifully
- Oak – hard, dense, attractive grainy appearance
- Size options:
- Large – 46L x 20W x 21H
- Medium – 42L x 19W x 19H
- Finished on all 4 sides
- Variety of stain options
- Comes standard with functioning lock and key
- Includes spring loaded lid supports
- Price includes shipping
The Amish Handcrafted Process
Step 1: Design
Customize your own wooden chest to fit your style! Pick out your wood species, chest size, unique textures, sliding trays and your own custom engraved name plate.
Step 2: Schedule
Expect to receive an email with estimated delivery date in 3-4 business days. We appreciate your interest and are very excited to build your chest or trunk.
Step 3: Construction
Made from quality hardwood with attention to detail! We offer cedar, cherry, oak and painted maple wood species. Choose what suits your home best!
Step 4: Delivery Time
* Due to exceptionally high demand the wait time between ordering and delivery is currently much longer than usual. All new orders will immediately be placed on our shop schedule which is booked for several months in advance at the moment. Thank you for understanding!
That’s it! Enjoy For Years!
Once your package arrives, the rest is pure enjoyment. Simply unpack your chest, place it at its desired location, store your belongings inside, and enjoy for years to come! And who knows, maybe someday your grandchildren will be using that very chest to store their own precious belongings.
For more details on the Amish Handcrafted Process, check out the steps on our About Us page.
What is a Hope Chest?
The hope chest derived its name because it was designed to symbolize “hope” in a marriage. In preparation for marriage in the future, a young lady would traditionally fill her chest with belongings that she would need. The bride-to-be would store items in her wooden chest such as clothes, books, dishes, blankets, and any other personal belongings that she needed for marriage. Many of the items in the chest were handmade by the young woman to show her skillfulness, adeptness, and her preparedness to enter adult hood. For more fascinating details and facts about the hope chest, check out our blog.
History
Hope chests date all the way back to the 15th century where they were originally used as a form of payment in a marriage. The tradition came from arranged marriages centuries ago where the groom and his family were expected to provide dowry such as labor, animals, or money. At the same time, in anticipation for her marriage, a young lady’s family would provide her with personal items that she would need for her future life. The potential bride would store these items in her wooden chest to be taken with her on the day of her wedding. It was symbol of significance for their new marriage.
Although these chests are not commonly used for dowry payments anymore, many people still use them as a storage chest for family heirlooms or items that will be passed down further generations. The hope chest is a symbol of the past, present, and future- all within its depths.
Hope Chest Used Today
Although these chest are no longer used as a dowry payment, many cultures, like the Amish, still use a hope chest as a wedding gift to a young couple. Instead of storing items in their chest in advance, mothers will often give their daughters some of the priceless treasures that have been passed down to them over the years. With each generation that passes, the chest accumulates more and more timeless family treasures that are coveted by the whole family. Not only is a hope chest a priceless gift, it also brings generations together as they share the treasures that they have received as well as any that they have made.
Hope Chest Wood Types
Our reproduction hope chests for sale come in two wood types – oak and cherry. If you wish to have the cedar wood benefits, each chest comes standard with a cedar bottom, and you can even choose to add cedar lining to the inside of the wooden chest. In addition, if you wish to have an entire chest made from cedar, you can check out our cedar chests options in our “basic cedar series”.
Hope Chest Features
Working lock/Spring Lid Support
Like a lot of chests, our reproduction hope chests also come standard with a working lock. With a lock, you will be able secure your most valuable items. Also, spring loaded hinges are installed in every one our hope chests. Each hinge is designed to hold the lid open while you are loading or unloading your belongings. Now you no longer have to worry about the lid falling on your innocent fingers!
Custom Engraved Name Plate
All of our reproduction chests for sale come with an optional customized name plate. You can choose to write whatever you like to personalize your hope chest for your family and the generations to follow.
Robin Miller –
What came in the door was exactly what I ordered and its positively gorgeous! Couldn’t be happier!
T. Collins –
Thank you so much for the cedar chest. I too was a little worried about ordering and paying for a chest sight unseen. However, it is so beautiful, amazing workmanship. I will cherish this piece of furniture for many years to come. Thank you Josh and team. Sincerely T. Collins
Anonymous –
Great chest! I purchased this hope chest as a wedding gift for my daugther and was thrilled. The craftmanship is great. I know this will be handed down for many generations because the quality outstanding. Not many places you can buy solid wood furniture these days. It will be a gift for them to treasure for a lifetime.
Thanks Lynne
spwrc –
I really liked this website, (after looking at many dozens for a reproduction chest) and decided to place an order.
My order was for a chest stained with “Michael’s Cherry,” cedar lining and I added the personalized brass plaque. I also opted for the “Dutch Bird” motif on the front.
The chest arrived on the date promised, was extremely well packed during shipping, in excellent condition, and beautiful beyond words. It was everything I expected – and more!
It was flawless and I simply can’t say enough good things about the chest. The customer service and Joshua were also helpful and couldn’t have been better.
I would definitely recommend this company and their beautiful workmanship to anyone looking for fine hand-crafted furniture. My experience really deserves more than five stars!
Carol Lee, Lubbock, TX
James –
We just received the above and could not be more delighted.The materials, finish and workmanship are superb.Your telephone assistance was also efficient and reliable.Altogether a very satisfactory purchase.
We have seen similar chests which were of lesser quality and much more expensive, so also excellent value for money.
We will be back.
Jmaes
3/21/2012
C. Fletcher –
Chest arrived this AM in perfect shape due to careful packing. It is as beautiful as I hoped it would be. Could never duplicate the craftmanship in furniture found in most stores today. Thank you!!BG
Dmcternan –
I received a beautiful Reproduction Chest for my daughter’s Bridal Shower. This is a splendid piece of furniture she will have for a life time. I am so glad I brought this product, which is beautiful and made in America.
vaughncatherine –
My cedar chest arrived today. It is all I thought it would be and so much more. It arrived in perfect condition. All I can say is that it is perfect. It has been such a pleasant experience dealing with Joshua. I can’t say enough good things about this whole process. It is not my nature to purchase anything sight unseen but I made this exception because I wanted something so special for my only granddaughter and this cedar chest looked like exactly what I wanted so I went with my gut and ordered this online. I am so glad I did.
ritkath –
My Yorktown Reproduction Chest arrived and I am so happy with it. The chest is beautiful Cherry wood with Acres stain and even more beautiful then I had imagined it would be. The inside is fully cedar lined and I was so pleased with the scent. I was worried that it may be to strong, but it is just perfect. I chose the dovetail joints and the workmanship is exquisite. I wanted the chest to be larger then the standard large chest and Josh was so helpful with creating the size to fit the design. All my questions and concerns were immediately answered by Josh and I felt very secure with my order. I would not hesitate to shop with this company in the future. ~ Kathleen, CT
crowley –
We ordered this hope chest for my mom. The craftmanship and artistry of this piece is amazing. We all are very pleased with it. The cherry wood and stain is flawless. The joints fit together perfectly. It is getting harder and harder to find solid wood furniture that is made with such care and attention to detail. Thank you so much for your work on this and your evident pride in delivering a top-notch product.
tmj379 –
Our Yorktown Reproduction Cedar Chest is even more beautiful than we had imagined it would be. The web site was easy to use and very descriptive which helped us narrow our search. After placing the order we had some second thoughts about the stain color. After calling to discuss our concerns, we received color samples in the mail which made the selection easy. When we received the chest, the color was perfect. We are so happy with the chest and look forward to many years of enjoying its beauty.
DCLAND7 –
Received our new Cherry Yorktown Hope Chest last week. The chest was packed with great care and protected the chest very well. As we expected, the fit and finish of the chest was exceptional. We were a little hesitant to order sight unseen, but can now say we are extremely happy with our purchase in all respects.
msscoltrane –
I ordered the Yorktown reproduction hope chest in cherry. It is absolutely beautiful and I am VERY satisfied. It will be a family heirloom that will be passed down to my children.
Suzanne in NC
Elaine Griswold –
My husband and I ordered the large Yorktown Reproduction Chest in the bing cherry finish for our granddaughter who is graduating from college. When it arrived, it was in perfect condition due to the extreme care of packaging. The first word that came to mind is stunning. We ordered the cedar interior with the cedar slide tray and the dovetail joints. The workmanship of the hope chest is exquisite. The bing cherry color is rich and deep. This is truly a hand crafted work of art. My granddaughter was thrilled with her hope chest. We were extremely pleased wth Josh’s communications and his attention to detail. Thank you Josh and your craftsmen for making such a beautiful hope chest. It will be a family treasure.
smithsylvia48 –
This chest was delivered and was just as beautiful as I expected. The picture does not do it justice. It is perfectly made and will last as a treasured piece of family furniture. Thank you to Josh for your excellent communication during the process.
Philip and Debra Kimsey (verified owner) –
This is the third hope chest that we have purchased from Amish Handcrafted in the last seven years. We gave one to each of our daughters as they graduated from high school, and we can honestly say that each chest has been a superbly crafted piece. They are heirloom quality and beautiful! We could not have been more satisfied — with both the service and craftsmanship. We would highly recommend Amish Handcrafted — their work is beyond compare!
Sharon Niedzielski (verified owner) –
This is the third one we have purchased for our granddaughters in the last 7 years. Each one has been perfectly crafted. It will be a treasured heirloom for them. I have nothing but praise for this Company. The workmanship has been outstanding!
kemblin stephens –
IAM LOOKING FOR MY DAUGHTER A ACHEST FOR HER BDAY, AND CAME ACROSS THIS BEAUTIFUL SITE, WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE FOR MY DAUGHTER
Elizabeth (verified owner) –
We love our new chest. It’s a gorgeous piece and we look forward to using it for years to come. Worth every penny.