Dutch and Flemish Furniture
of Burgundian work was bought several years ago at
the Soltykoff sale by the Baron Sehieres, for no less than
16,500 francs! It was a large double cabinet, the two
parts of nearly equal dimensions, both ornately carved
with satyrs, fruits, garlands, palms, Tritons and Nereids.
The chest is as important as ever. It is found in
every room in the house. In it are kept household linen,
clothing and many treasures and gifts. When the top
is flat, in which case the article is still called huche, it
often serves as a seat. Although the chest is finely
carved in the sixteenth century, it never attains the
sumptuousness nor the delicacy of either dressoir or
cabinet ; it always remains a robust piece of furniture.
It is decorated with architectural motives, fantastic
arabesques, panels ornamented with bas-reliefs represent-
ing Biblical or mythological scenes, allegorical subjects,
pilasters in the form of terms, and not unfrequently
mascarons. Sometimes chests are covered with stamped
leather and sometimes decorated with marquetry.
Flemish chests were in great demand in France. In
an inventory, we learn that Marguerite des Bordes,
Bordeaux, had, 1589, a " bahut de Flandres," barred
with iron bands, two locks and keys ; George Beaunon,
a merchant of Bordeaux, had, in 1607, " more than one
cofre de Flandres," garnished with bands of white iron
and three little " cassettes de boys de Flandres" were
owned by Nicholas Lemerotel of St. Malo in 1638.
Porcelain as yet was very rare, though kings and
rich nobles had a few pieces of this ware on their shelves.
Philip II had quite a respectable collection of ceramics,
and wealthy Flemings were always fond of foreign and
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