Large Campaign Chest

A mahogany Campaign Chest with three short drawers.

At 45 inches in width, this campaign chest is much larger than most, with 39 inches being the standard English size. It is probably the widest British chest that we have had.

The drawer combination is three to the top with the middle one wider than the two that flank it, and three long drawers below. The drawers are all cut with a cock beading line to their edge. They all have mahogany drawer linings as opposed to oak, ash or pine that you would expect, with quadrants to the interior bottom corners for strength. The central drawer lock has a round escutcheon and is stamped Bramah, London. The other locks are all unmarked and there are no keys.

The chest has flush gilt brass campaign handles to the drawers and the boards between the drawers are strengthened with gilt bras strap with corners to the chest's top. The turned feet look typical of the shape that the Army & Navy CSL used and are removable on wooden threads. The top of the back board to the bottom section is stamped with the four digit reference number 7902 which might also be a pointer to it having being made by the A&N CSL. If it was, they didn't add one of their labels but that was not uncommon if it was made for another retailer, which we know they did.

This chest stands out for its larger size and the use of mahogany drawer linings. There is no maker's mark but the quality is good. Late 19th Century.