LATE 18TH/EARLY 19TH CENTURY

This design of chest is one of the most distinctive forms of regional Welsh furniture made in the 19th century, and is closely associated with Carmarthenshire as its place of production. A number of designs were made and some have a panelled top storage section with a hinged lid with drawers in a stand below. Others, as in this case, have two hinged doors to the front of the top section and again drawers below in the fixed stand. The great majority of such chests are made as large pieces of furniture, whilst this example is unusually small and made in Padouk rather than the more common Oak. These features make this item a highly unusual and possibly unique example.