Edward VI's travelling trunk (removing coffer)

Travelling trunk, rectangular with fall front; the cover with flat top and angled sides. Wrought iron baluster swing handles with quatrefoil handle plates. Wrought iron hinges and re-inforcing straps. The fall front is held in position by a hook and eye fitting on each side, that on the right is defective. On the front of the falling flap is a lock plate in the form of a shield with shaped edges representing supporters, surmounted by a crown. The leather outer covering is missing.
The interior retains its original calf leather covering with tooled and gilt ornament. In the centre of the fall front the royal arms with lion and dragon supporters and cypher ER. within a rectangular compartment. To left and right a cartouche formed of two intersecting squares enclosing the crwoned Tudor rose with cypher ER. (probably of Edward VI).
The lower part of the trunk contains two long and two short drawers, each with original crimson silk linings. The fronts covered with leather tooled and gilt with Tudor roses within an interlacing floral pattern. The upper part forms a trunk originally lined with crimson silk, now surviving only on the inside of the hinged cover. The silk is attached with tapes and brass-headed nails.

Given by the British Antique Dealers' Association

The style of the royal arms and gold tooled ornament resemble the products of a bindery that worked for Edward VI and Queen Mary. The use of a lozenge within a rectangle is typical of the King Edward and Queen Mary Bindery.

Object Type
This is a particularly fine example of a travelling coffer, or trunk. The outside of the trunk would originally also have been covered in leather, making it waterproof. Travelling trunks dating from earlier centuries were plain inside with perhaps two small drawers. By the16th century the interiors of expensive trunks for documents or small objects were fitted with many trays and drawers. Some, like this one, had a drop front to provide access to the contents.

People
The letter 'ER' probably relates to Edward VI who reigned from 1547 to 1553, rather than his sister Elizabeth I. The style of the coat of arms and the gold ornament are similar to bookbindings from his reign.

Materials and Making
The box would have been made by a specialist coffer-maker, who was skilled in the use of wood, leather and textiles. William Green of London supplied coffers to the Royal Household during the reign of Edward VI, but we do not know whether he supplied this one.

W.18:1 to 6-1958