Antique Campaign Chest by Maynard

This mahogany campaign chest has a full length secretaire drawer which has two banks of three short drawers with pigeon holes in between and a longer drawer below.

The drawers have turned knobs and the bottom right drawer has dividers to the front to take 2 inkwells with an angled board for stamps etc. in between. The leather writing surface is gilt tooled. On close inspection it can be seen that the interior of the secretaire has two holes to the left and one to the right close to the drawer fronts. This would have been to take removable rod fittings to retain the drawers in travel. The style of flush brass handles immediately point to it being an earlier chest and the iron carrying handles show that it was either made before the addition of packing cases were considered or that they were as much for tying the chest down on board ship. The small brass lined holes to the top indicate that originally it would have had a removable gallery. The large drawers are well made with ash linings to the sides and pine back and base boards. The two part chest has removable turned feet.

The colour of the chest is deep with good timber used, which is another indication of its earlier date. The maker, Maynard, is confirmed by the large paper label to the interior of the bottom drawer. Circa 1835.