{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O147416"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O147416/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014HD2072/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014HD2072/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2014HD2072","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JW1617","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O147416/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O147416","accessionNumber":"W.15-1933","objectType":"Chest","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Domestic chests were often used for storing clothing, bedding and linen, and are often recorded near bedchambers or standing at the foot of a bed. On this example the front has been enlivened with low relief carving characteristic of Gloucestershire woodwork. It is built with two drawers below the main compartment, providing storage space for smaller objects that might otherwise be difficult to retrieve from the bottom of a chest. These two drawers have been rebuilt, probably because the originals had fallen apart with use and age. (The terms 'mule chest' and 'dower chest', sometimes used today for pieces of this form, were not used in the 17th century.)","physicalDescription":"Lidded chest of panelled construction with two drawers, which have been rebuilt, below the main compartment; the front fully carved (except for the feet and lower front rail) with low relief scrolling and floral ornament, the ends and back plain. \r\nThe lid formed by three butting planks of different widths, with cleated ends, (the PL cleat original and held with square pegs, the PR cleat replaced), and fitted with two relatively recent strap hinges in place of ring hinges, parts of which survive. The upper surfaces of the lid ends with nulling and the forward edge with a scored design of ovals within double lines. The upper surface of all the top rail punched with a circle within two parallel lines. \r\nThe front consists of four carved panels, the matching two outer panels with back to back S scrolls enclosing an anthemion, and the matching two inner panels with stylized symmetrical flower with scrolling leaves and fern-like leaves at the top enclosing a five (the other mis-carved as four) petalled flower. The top rail with five lunettes with leaf and batwing ornament, divided by tulips. The stiles and muntins carved with vertebrate scrolling ornament that forms heart shapes. The mid rail carved with undulate S scrolling ornament and the lower rail plain. Between the mid and lower rails are two drawers of recent construction in softwood, the fronts with oak facings carved with S scrolls, apparently using old (but not necessarily original) woodwork (10.5 x 49cm) with plain mitred borders punched with a modern nail head, and an added plain strip at one end. Each drawer has a single, central hand-forged iron ring handle. These drawers slide on their side runners, but visible inside the carcase are the slots (and mortices in the middle of the back mid rail) that held runners on which the drawers originally ran.\r\n\r\nThe interior of the chest is plain panelled, with grooves and hole for a lidded till (missing) at the PR end. Each end is formed by a large single panel (with visible cross grain shrinkage) held within deep moulded rails at the top and bottom. The bottom boards (four wide, one narrow) of oak run front to back, with birds' mouth joints and are nailed up using hand-made nails. They appear to be original. The internal lock mechanism missing, but the escutcheon, apparently original survives on the front. \r\n\r\nOther than the restorations described above the construction (including pegging) and wear seem compatible with a date 1630-1700. The finish over the exterior parts is a mid brown compatible without obvious additional staining.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"oak","id":"AAT12264"}],"techniques":[{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Oak, joined and carved","categories":[{"text":"Furniture","id":"THES48948"},{"text":"Household objects","id":"THES48939"},{"text":"Containers","id":"THES48972"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":["2014HD2072","2017JW1617"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES339936"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES339936"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES339936"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Chest","id":""}],[{"text":"Drawer from chest","id":""}],[{"text":"Drawer from chest","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1630-1700","earliest":"1630-01-01","latest":"1700-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Bequeathed by Harold A. Peto.","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"84.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"149","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"59","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"This object mentioned in my will is left to the Victoria and Albert Museum H.A.Peto","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Paper label inside the chest front with manuscript"}],"objectHistory":"Bequeathed by Harold A. Peto of Iford Manor, Bradford-on-Avon, Wilts (whose collection of furniture consisted mainly of oak). This chest was described as coming 'from Lyme Regis', without further explanation. H. Clifford Smith, in a minute note (2/8/33) wrote that it dates from about 1630, 'is elaborately carved, and is of a type unrepresented in the Museum - an example of a chest with drawers which developed into the chest-of-drawers.'\r\nOn loan to Valance House, Dagenham, 1955-2008.\r\n\r\nFor similar carved decoration see Victor Chinnery, Oak Furniture, The British Tradtion (Woodbridge, 1979), fig.3:374 (chest, probably Gloucestershire c1630); pp.455-9.\r\nAnthony Wells-Cole, exhibition catalogue ‘Oak furniture from Gloucestershire and Somerset’, Bristol, St Nicholas Church Museum 2 April-1 May 1976 and Leeds, Temple Newsam, 12 May-12 June 1976, esp. cat. 4 (with in-scrolling lunettes and scratched border pattern on the lid), Gloucestershire mid-17th century\n\nSee: ‘Mr. Harold Peto’s Collection’ by ‘M.J.’ in Country Life, April 10th, 1926 (vol. LIX), referred to on p.lvi\r\n\r\nIford Manor, Wiltshire, the property of Mr H.A. Peto – I and II, in Country Life, Aug. 26th 1922, pp.242-8, and Sept. 2nd 1922, pp.272-7\n\nIn 1968 this chest was on long loan to Dagenham.\r\n","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Lidded chest of panelled construction with two drawers, English, (Gloucestershire) 1630-1700, carved oak, 54/1868","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Dictionary of English Furniture (Country Life 1924-7, 2nd rev. ed. 1954), Percy Macquoid and Ralph Edwards (1924-7), entry for 'chests', fig. 30"}],"production":"Probably Gloucestershire","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["W.15:1-1933","W.15:2-1933","W.15:3-1933"],"accessionNumberNum":"15","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":1933,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Chest","Drawer from chest [1]","Drawer from chest [2]"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-18","recordCreationDate":"2008-03-12","availableToBook":true}}