19th c. French Chest

France, 19th Century

$1,995

Antique One-Of-A-Kind Wood

The coffer is the oldest form of furniture there is, a locking chest that held a household's linens and valuables long before cupboards and chests of drawers existed to hold them. Found in Avignon and dating to the late 19th century, it sits low and heavy on a molded plinth, the front carved with a scrolled cartouche around the lock and joined at the corners by deep hand-cut dovetails. Iron handles at each end meant it could be lifted and carried from house to house, the way a chest like this often traveled, packed with a bride's linens to begin a new home. Sylvie would set it at the foot of a bed or under a window, a low table with two centuries already closed inside it.

Minor variations from the images may occur unless otherwise noted. All sales are final.

Age:: 19th Century
Country of Origin:: France
Material:: Wood with metal hardware
Dimensions:: 19.5" H x 40.5" W x 20.5" D

Notes from Sylvie:

Dear collector, as with many antiques, this piece may show signs of its age, including subtle repairs, a bit of movement, cracks, scratches, small holes, and surface variation from years of use. The piece has been sanded back to raw wood. The back is a darker raw wood with small holes and some wood loss along the upper edges. The front lock is decorative only, and the hinges show some rust patina but function properly. The interior is raw wood with metal brackets on both sides.

All items are final sale.