Strong box
Category
Furniture
Date
circa 1675
Materials
Kingwood and rosewood veneers, softwood, walnut to drawers, brass
Measurements
24 x 63 x 40 cm
Place of origin
Holland or England
Order this imageCollection
Ham House, Surrey
NT 1139751.1
Summary
A brass-mounted kingwood-veneered strongbox, Anglo-Dutch, circa 1675. Veneered to the exterior with kingwood and to the interior with rosewood, and bound and embellished with foliate brass mounts and straps. The front top and sides oyster-veneered. There are three hinges to the lid and three to the fall front opening to an interior fitted with a large compartment and three drawers, as well as secret drawers. Raised on a gilt gesso stand, English, circa 1730 [NT 1139751.2]. -- According to Thornton and Tomlin, this strongbox could be one of the two described in the inventory of 1683, in the Duchess's Bedchamber.
Provenance
Acquired in 1948 by HM Government when Sir Lyonel, 4th Bt (1854 – 1952) and Sir Cecil Tollemache, 5th Bt (1886 – 1969) presented Ham House to the National Trust, and entrusted to the care of the Victoria & Albert Museum, until 1990, when returned to the care of the National Trust, and to which ownership was transferred in 2002.
References
Thornton and Tomlin 1980 Peter Thornton, and Maurice Tomlin. “The Furnishing and Decoration of Ham House.” Furniture History, The Journal of The Furniture History Society Vol.XVI, 1980, fig 68