17th-Century Diminutive William and Mary Kingwood Strongbox or Coffre Fort, C. 1690. 1
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17th-Century Diminutive William and Mary Kingwood Strongbox or Coffre Fort, C1690-1
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17th-Century Diminutive William and Mary Kingwood Strongbox or Coffre Fort, C. 1690.

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17th-Century Diminutive William and Mary Kingwood Strongbox or Coffre Fort, C. 1690.

A William and Mary Kingwood/Princes oyster strongbox or Coffre Fort, circa 1680-1700, England. Adorned with highly decorative gilt brass strapwork and decorated entirely in knife cut oysters of kingwood, this box is fit for the most discerning of collectors. The large gilt brass shield-shaped clasp opens on a push-spring release to reveal a box interior lined in rosewood with two drawers and securing bolts.

Once the lid is opened you can reach inside to slide the original gilt brass bolt lock to open the fall. Once the fall is open you will find two drawers lined in walnut divided by a secret compartment.

The box appears decorative, but it was also very difficult to break open or steal. It has a strong lock to the centre and two bolts concealed in the sides, so that it could be screwed down into floorboards if necessary or that of a horse-drawn carriage. Strong-boxes veneered in oysters of Princewood such as this were luxury objects.

The cabinet-makers who would have constructed and veneered the carcase apparently sold them, often using tropical hardwood veneers, and mounted it with sets of mounts, handles and locks bought in from brass founders. The elaborate veneering and conspicuous gilded brass mounts show that the appearance of these objects was important.

Thomas Pistor, of Ludgate Hill, London worked with the renowned cabinetmaker Gerrit Jensen. Gerrit Jensen supplied a walnut-veneered ‘strongbox’ to Colonel James Grahame in 1668, Levens Hall. It is recorded that Thomas Pistor’s remaining stock was sold off post his death in 1711, included ‘three fine Princes wood strongboxes’.

The present example relates almost exactly to a strongbox held in the Victoria & Albert Museum. Accession Number: W.10-1951.

Condition

Good. Wear consistent with age and use. Superb original condition. Fabulous colour.

Dimensions

Height: 8.27 in. (21 cm)
Width: 14.18 in. (36 cm)
Depth: 9.45 in. (24 cm)

PREVIOUSLY SOLD

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17th-Century miniature table cabinet

17th-Century miniature table cabinet

The miniature table cabinet opens to an arrangement of drawers, a row of four, a bank of four and a long pen drawer, similarly veneered in oysters of olive.

William and Mary Kingwood or ‘Princes’ wood oyster cabinet on chest

William and Mary Kingwood or ‘Princes’ wood oyster cabinet on chest

When the most expensive timber of the 17th century met Thomas Pistor. There were, in fact, two cabinet-makers called Thomas Pistor, father and son, working for a period at the same time but at different premises. One or both are known to have made furniture of quality for Levens Hall.

17th Century William and Mary Kingwood Strongbox

17th Century William and Mary Kingwood Strongbox

A 17th century William and Mary Kingwood strongbox, with gilt brass straps. This strongbox has to be one of the most charming and certainly the smallest example we have encountered, at just 17.5 cm high, 28 cm wide and 18 cm deep. A strongbox of similar merit form and style resides at Burghley House in ‘The 1st George State Room.

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A fine George III mahogany serpentine commode, England, circa 1770. Attributed to Henry Hill, Marlborough. The three graduated drawers retain their original gilt brass handles over a unique carved apron and flanked by moulded angles continuing into the shaped cabriole feet.

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