English Oak Coffer, 18th Century
You must be a subscriber, and be logged in to view price and dealer details.
Subscribe Now to view actual auction price for this item
When you subscribe, you have the option of setting the currency in which to display prices to $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.
- Oak - Native to Europe and England, oak has been used for joinery, furniture and building since the beginning of the medieval civilisation. It is a pale yellow in colour when freshly cut and darkens with age to a mid brown colour.
Oak as a furniture timber was superceded by walnut in the 17th century, and in the 18th century by mahogany,
Semi-fossilised bog oak is black in colour, and is found in peat bogs where the trees have fallen and been preserved from decay by the bog. It is used for jewellery and small carved trinkets.
Pollard oak is taken from an oak that has been regularly pollarded, that is the upper branches have been removed at the top of the trunk, result that new branches would appear, and over time the top would become ball-like. . When harvested and sawn, the timber displays a continuous surface of knotty circles. The timber was scarce and expensive and was used in more expensive pieces of furniture in the Regency and Victorian periods.
This item has been included into following indexes:
- coffers - English 160
- oak - trunks 321
Visually similar items
An 18th century English oak coffer, three central diamond motifs and a carved scrollwork border above a hinged top, 104 x 64 x 54 cm
Early 18th century oak coffer with three panel top, applied lozenge mouldings to the front
English oak partners desk, 19th century, with inset green writing leather top, with carved cupboards enclosing drawers. Height 82 cm, width 158 depth 110 cm
A south Korean elm and pine rice chest with iron decoration, circa 1870, 92 x 92 x 57 cm