Early oak coffer of diminutive proportions and robust construction

Jan & John Maggs

Antiques and Art

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Built with a heavy, joined frame on each of its four sides, this coffer appears to date from the earliest years of the 17th century. Faced with the need to decide which surface of the elements of the frame deserved the finest finish, it is not uncommon to see the edges of the rails and stiles of the front and sides of a coffer treated with a moulding plane. Such is the case here, and the insides of these surfaces are finished without embellishment. The joiner who made this coffer, however, decided to apply the decorative moulding to the inside of the back, since it is the surface we see upon lifting the lid.

This attention to detail and the sturdy construction of the coffer itself suggest that the lid, two oak boards doweled or splined together with only a tiny bead around its perimeter, may be a later replacement. The replaced hinges offer additional support for this conclusion.

Nonetheless, the size and the chunky, Elizabethan appearance of the chest suggest a very early date. It is not surprising that the two rear feet have lost a little of their original height. That height has been restored.

English, ca. 1600

Length: 34 ¼”; Depth: 16 ¾”; Height: 22 ⅛”

Price: $1,100

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Inventory #26653

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