Scoop Handle Campaign Chest

A Victorian Military Secretaire Chest probably made of walnut.

The drawer combination of this chest is a short secretaire drawer with a pair of smaller drawers either side and three long drawers below. The smaller drawers are each half the height of the secretaire drawer. Although an uncommon drawer combination, the interest in this chest comes from its flush 'scoop' handles. On first sight, the handles look like a standard campaign handle of the second half of the 19th century but they do not have a bale. The back plate is much deeper than normal, with the front plate overhanging it, to allow you to put your fingers in to pull it open.

The secretaire work surface has never had a baize or leather and is simply plain wood. The interior has five pigeonholes with an arched top and the central compartment a little wider than the rest. Below are two plain drawers with wooden knob handles and one of the drawers a little longer than the other.

The chest is well made, with quadrants to all the drawer linings and gilt brass straps to every board that separates the drawers. The bottom two shortest drawers have been restored to their bottom edges where they been pushed in too hard and become damaged. The replaced feet have metal threads, as opposed to wooden, to screw into their blocks.

The chest is a little wider than the standard size of 39 inches, not including the iron carrying handles to the sides. The lock to the secretaire drawer is a Nettlefold Patent which has two teeth that extend from the sides of the bolt when locked. It is also stamped VR under a crown for Queen Victoria. Nettlefold patented the lock in 1839.

An interesting chest for its scoop handles. Circa 1860.

Width without carrying handles 40 3/4 inches (104 cm)