LATE 17TH CENTURY

Details

AN ANGLO-DUTCH BRASS-MOUNTED KINGWOOD COFFRE-FORT
LATE 17TH CENTURY
The fall-front enclosing a recess and two drawers
8¾ in. (22.2 cm.) high; 15¼ in. (38.7 cm.) wide; 8 7/8 in. (22.6 cm.) deep

Special notice

This lot is offered without reserve. No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

This fine strong-box relates to one supplied in 1688 by the St. Martin's Lane court cabinet-maker Gerret Jensen (d.1715) to Colonel James Grahme, which is now at Levens Hall, Cumbria (A. Bowett, English Furniture 1660-1714, Woodbridge, 2002, pl.6:29). Around 1670 Jensen also supplied the 1st Duke of Richmond with a 'strong box' (G.Beard and C. Gilbert, Dictionary of English Furniture Makers, Leeds, 1986, p.486). Similar strong boxes veneered with kingwood or 'prince's wood' were supplied for the Duke of Lauderdale at Ham House, Surrey and appear in the inventories of 1677 and 1683. The 1683 inventory of the Duchess's Bedchamber lists 'Two Strong boxes & one box wth an extraordinary Lock; Three frames to the boxes'. (Furniture History Society Journal, 1980, fig.68).

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