Chest
Category
Furniture
Date
1640 - 1660
Materials
Joined oak, holly and fruitwood marquetry
Measurements
67.7 x 144.6 x 56.7 cm
Place of origin
Leeds
Order this imageCollection
Anglesey Abbey, Cambridgeshire (Accredited Museum)
On show at
Anglesey Abbey, Cambridgeshire, East of England, National Trust
NT 514376
Summary
A joined, paneled oak and holly and fruitwood marquetry inlaid chest, English, Yorkshire, probably Leeds, mid 17th century The later hinged plank top, above a carved frieze incorporating repeating double scroll work and floral detail above three arcaded front panels inlaid with panels of vases of flowers in holly and fruit woods. Flanked by carved pilasters with further repeating scroll carved decoration, the sides with twin panels, raised on stile feet, alterations.
Full description
This type of chest bears similarities to a group of furniture known to have been produced in Yorkshire, particularly the Leeds area, during the middle of the 17th century. The furniture is characterized by the use of inlaid floral panels and sometimes bands of geometric parquetry inlay, together with the use of arcaded panels and profuse carved detail. See: Victor Chinnery, 'Oak Furniture: The British Tradition' (1993), pp. 470-472, illustrates several examples of inlaid Yorkshire furniture where The quality of the joinery is noted as 'extremely well made and carefully finished'. Leeds is suggested as the area of manufacturer, due to its relative wealth and the surviving examples 'located in houses and churches a little south-west of Leeds itself, in the Dewsbury/Batley/Halifax area'. V&A collection W.30-1931 illustrates another chest from this group, this example having square panels but the marquetry of a very similar design, 'Domestic chests were often used for storing clothing, bedding and linen, and are often recorded near bedchambers or standing at the foot of a bed. Chests of panelled construction with carved fronts, like this one were comparatively high-status products during the 16th and 17th centuries, being very robust as well as attractively carved with a wide variety of ornament. The use of inlay panels and carved ornament on the front of this chest suggest that it was made in the Leeds area of South Yorkshire.' See also Christopher Gilbert 'Furniture at Temple Newsam and Lotherton Hall' 1978 Vol.1 pg.131, ill. 145 James Weedon (Oct. 2017)
Provenance
Bequeathed to the National Trust by Huttleston Rogers Broughton, 1st Lord Fairhaven (1896-1966) with the house and the rest of the contents.
References
Gilbert, Christopher Furniture at Temple Newsam House and Lotherton Hall : 1978., Vol 1 plate 145 Chinnery, Victor, 1944- Oak furniture : 1979., Pages 470-472