DOI issue:
No. 92 (October, 1904)
DOI article:Jones, Francis Arthur: Some ancient wedding-coffers
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26962#0405
Some Ancient Wedding-Coffers
SPANISH WEDDING-COFFER
FIFTEENTH CENTURY
of wood overlaid with black mastic, in
are embedded bits of mother-of-pearl in
pattern.
is made
which
floreated Oriental
The work is of
DUTCH WEDDING-COFFER
the sixteenth or seven-
teenth century, and the
coffer is said to have
been imported by the
Portuguese from India.
It was bought by the
authorities of the South
Kensington Museum in
1866 for the modest
sum of £8 85. 5d. If
purchased at an auction
(which is probable), and
the bids advanced by
pennies (which is open
to doubt), this would
account for the odd fivepence. In shape it is
quadrangular, the lid being bevelled. Curiously
enough, the back of the coffer is handsomer than
the front, which accounts
for its having been photo-
graphed in the position
shown in our illustration.
The coffer next shown is
of German make and dates
back to the early part
of the sixteenth century.
It is fairly commodious
and capable of holding the
trousseau of a well-dowered
Gretchen. Made of wood
and covered with richly
embossed leather, it makes
a decidedly handsome piece
of furniture. The top is dutch wedding-coffer
divided and folds back, the
clamps forming the hinges
being of burnished brass.
It differs from others of Ger-
man make, to which we have
already alluded, by reason
of its being raised from the
ground by means of four
rather clumsy legs. This
coffer may also be seen at
South Kensington, having
been bought in 1872 for the
sum of ^10.
The next coffer we are able
to illustrate is from the gallery
above the vestibule in Ham
House. It came originally
from Turkey, and dates back to the eighteenth
century. The body of the chest is of wood—
what kind it is difficult to say—which is covered
with decoration in
painted and gilded
^•mo-work. The design
is beautiful and effec-
tive. It is provided
with a lock of curious
mechanism, the key of
which, unfortunately,
has been lost. It stands
about six inches from
the ground on six
roughly carved legs.
The coffer next shown
is somewhat ecclesias-
fifteenth century
tical in design, and may
have been a gift from a dignitary of the Church
to some near relation. It is made of solid oak,
the front and sides being elaborately carved
fifteenth century
307
SPANISH WEDDING-COFFER
FIFTEENTH CENTURY
of wood overlaid with black mastic, in
are embedded bits of mother-of-pearl in
pattern.
is made
which
floreated Oriental
The work is of
DUTCH WEDDING-COFFER
the sixteenth or seven-
teenth century, and the
coffer is said to have
been imported by the
Portuguese from India.
It was bought by the
authorities of the South
Kensington Museum in
1866 for the modest
sum of £8 85. 5d. If
purchased at an auction
(which is probable), and
the bids advanced by
pennies (which is open
to doubt), this would
account for the odd fivepence. In shape it is
quadrangular, the lid being bevelled. Curiously
enough, the back of the coffer is handsomer than
the front, which accounts
for its having been photo-
graphed in the position
shown in our illustration.
The coffer next shown is
of German make and dates
back to the early part
of the sixteenth century.
It is fairly commodious
and capable of holding the
trousseau of a well-dowered
Gretchen. Made of wood
and covered with richly
embossed leather, it makes
a decidedly handsome piece
of furniture. The top is dutch wedding-coffer
divided and folds back, the
clamps forming the hinges
being of burnished brass.
It differs from others of Ger-
man make, to which we have
already alluded, by reason
of its being raised from the
ground by means of four
rather clumsy legs. This
coffer may also be seen at
South Kensington, having
been bought in 1872 for the
sum of ^10.
The next coffer we are able
to illustrate is from the gallery
above the vestibule in Ham
House. It came originally
from Turkey, and dates back to the eighteenth
century. The body of the chest is of wood—
what kind it is difficult to say—which is covered
with decoration in
painted and gilded
^•mo-work. The design
is beautiful and effec-
tive. It is provided
with a lock of curious
mechanism, the key of
which, unfortunately,
has been lost. It stands
about six inches from
the ground on six
roughly carved legs.
The coffer next shown
is somewhat ecclesias-
fifteenth century
tical in design, and may
have been a gift from a dignitary of the Church
to some near relation. It is made of solid oak,
the front and sides being elaborately carved
fifteenth century
307