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Trunk

Category

Furniture

Date

circa 1750 - 1760

Materials

Leather, brass, pine carcass, mahogany stand

Measurements

84 x 112.5 x 59 cm

Place of origin

England

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Collection

Ightham Mote, Kent

NT 825012

Summary

A leather-covered, brass-bound and brass-studded trunk or coffer, English, the trunk circa 1750-1760, the stand circa 1900. Decorated overall with borders and swirls of close-nailed brass studs, the front with twin flower design and the lid with crown and monogram GR (for King George II), the elaborately pierced lock plate surmounted with a brass crown, the interior re-lined in baize, standing on a later mahogany stand with shaped apron and hairy paw feet, the domed lid bearing the paper label for 'Edward Smith, coffer & plate-case maker to his MAJESTY And His Royal Highness ye Prince of Wales' (re-pinned over the baize).

Full description

Until late in the 18th century a coffer-maker is found among the officers of the royal household. The Lord Chamberlain's accounts show that from 1750 to 1760 Edward Smith, who held that office, supplied both the King and various members of the court with large number of trunks covered with 'Russia leather'. The crown and monogram, so often found on these trunks, does not necessarily imply Royal ownership, as furniture and accessories used in the palaces or Government service were often stamped in this way (P. Macquoid and R. Edwards, The Dictionary of English Furniture, London, 1954, vol. II, p. 17). Travelling trunks of this form with similar decorative brass-studding (but no monogram) originated in the seventeenth century and continued to be produced, relatively unaltered in form right through to the reign of George II. Sometimes known as 'Chancellor' chests, they have been associated with Chancellors of the Exchequer as government 'office equipment' (discussed A .Wells-Cole, Furniture History Society Newsletter, no. 141, February 2001). There were also higher status royal household trunks, such as this example, which have lock-plates topped with a crown and studded patterns forming the royal cipher (discussed Olivia Fryman, Coffer-Makers to the late Stuart Court 1669-1714, Furniture History journal Vol LII for 2016, p 1-16 and illustrated as Fig.2). There are a number of related trunks across the National Trust Collections, including NT 597606 (Montacute House), NT 1332028 (Snowshill Manor), NT 485364 (Petworth House), NT 1127726 (Hardwick Hall) and NT 790832 (Scotney Castle).

Provenance

Gifted to the National Trust in 1987. According to donor family tradition the chest originally came from Lismore Castle, the Irish home of the Duke of Devonshire.

Marks and inscriptions

Inside of lid: Edward Smith, coffer & plate-case maker to his MAJESTY And His Royal Highness ye Prince of Wales

References

Furniture History Society (Great Britain), Furniture History., 1965-, Vol LII for 2016, p 1-15 and Fig. 2 Furniture History Society (Great Britain), Furniture History., 1965-, Newsletter 141, February 2001

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