Not currently on display at the V&A

Chest

1600-1700 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Carved oak coffer with hinged lid. The front is made up of four framed panels with foliate decoration, the sides are made up of two plain framed panels with a handle attached to the muntin. From inside we can see that the back of the coffer is made up of two framed panels. On the front of the coffer the stiles are carved with a geometric flower motif made up of 6 circles at top, a long rectangular section of fish scale motif below this, then another flower motif at the level of the bottom rail of the coffer front, and another smaller square section of fish scale motif at the bottom. The top rail of the coffer front is carved with two sections of fluting either side of a central six-petalled flower, the bottom rail is carved with a running guilloche motif. All of these carved motifs are evenly stamped with tiny six-petalled flowers. The rails of the coffer front are tenoned into the stiles with the three muntins tenoned and pegged into the rails. The rails of the coffer sides are tenoned into the back faces of the stiles of the coffer front and back with a single muntin tenoned and pegged into the rails. The coffer lid appears to be made from a single plank with a baton running the depth of it at either end. The batons are nailed to the lid along its side edges. Inside the coffer there are two tills at left and right with a narrow ledge running between them at the back of the cavity.


Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
Oak
Brief description
Scandinavian?
Physical description
Carved oak coffer with hinged lid. The front is made up of four framed panels with foliate decoration, the sides are made up of two plain framed panels with a handle attached to the muntin. From inside we can see that the back of the coffer is made up of two framed panels. On the front of the coffer the stiles are carved with a geometric flower motif made up of 6 circles at top, a long rectangular section of fish scale motif below this, then another flower motif at the level of the bottom rail of the coffer front, and another smaller square section of fish scale motif at the bottom. The top rail of the coffer front is carved with two sections of fluting either side of a central six-petalled flower, the bottom rail is carved with a running guilloche motif. All of these carved motifs are evenly stamped with tiny six-petalled flowers. The rails of the coffer front are tenoned into the stiles with the three muntins tenoned and pegged into the rails. The rails of the coffer sides are tenoned into the back faces of the stiles of the coffer front and back with a single muntin tenoned and pegged into the rails. The coffer lid appears to be made from a single plank with a baton running the depth of it at either end. The batons are nailed to the lid along its side edges. Inside the coffer there are two tills at left and right with a narrow ledge running between them at the back of the cavity.
Dimensions
  • Height: 27.25in
  • Width: 49.5in
  • Depth: 21.75in
From green catalogues.
Object history
On loan to Manchester City Art Gallery in 1968.
Collection
Accession number
618-1906

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Record createdMarch 26, 2009
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