17th Century English Oak Strong Box c. 1640

A rare English oak strong box retaining original and elaborately forged iron lock plate and lock with escutcheon cover and with the original working key.

The case with original beautifully shaped corner brackets and original carrying handles – all the hardware fixed with the original rivets.

The interior with seven oak drawers with attractive original handles, three over two banks of two, each drawer with very fine boarded linings in wainscot oak with nailed up bottoms.

These chests were used by merchants who travelled and traded. The drawers may have contained precious gemstones such as diamonds, gold or jewellery, spices or coins. The fall descends to form a desk at which to write, weigh or count. This example no doubt travelled aboard ships of the day carrying cargo and travellers around the world – ships like the wooden hulled Mayflower which took the Pilgrim Fathers to America in 1620. The strong box has probably visited many lands and carried all manner of exotic and highly valuable items. If only it could talk!

A beautiful and very rarely seen early English example set on a most attractive hand made oak stand with gun barrel turned legs and of pegged construction. The oak of the stand has been very well matched in colour and grain to that of the strong box and the form of the stand is stylistically correct for the early to mid 17th Century but was probably made in the early 19th century. The box would not originally have had a stand and the stand was made after its travelling days were over so that it could sit at a useful, visible height to be enjoyed and used.

Such a lovely piece of early English oak in excellent condition for age and original throughout.