A pursuit of the drawer ensued. But so far few clues have surfaced. Brown says the drawer in question measures 15 by 8 inches, is mahogany with antique inlay and has original brass hardware. A number of retail workers in Cary Court recalled seeing the lone drawer on the sidewalk in the vicinity of a trash can, Brown adds.

Brown says she reported the missing drawer to Richmond Police. Now she’s asking for the public’s help. Signs pleading for the drawer’s return now accompany holiday decorations in neighboring store windows. And Brown is offering a $200 reward for anyone providing information that leads to the drawer’s unscathed return.

For now, the noticeably bare chest resides with its potential owner. But if the missing drawer remains so, the once pristine antique will be something of a misfit toy at Christmas.

Or not. According to Home and Garden TV’s Web site, there’s hope for the chest yet. “A missing drawer is a common problem for an old dresser,” the site reads. Instead of throwing it away, HG TV’s experts suggest turning it into a night-light chest. (Add a clip-on light to the empty space and cover it with an old shutter that fits, preferably painted with white latex paint. It can even be enhanced with decorative drawer pulls or adhesive rub-on designs, such as flowers.)

Brown is crossing her fingers it doesn’t come to this. She has visions of a complete chest of drawers dancing in her head. After all, she muses, “Wouldn’t it make a Merry Christmas?” — Brandon Walters