SW Silver Secretaire Campaign Chest

A mahogany Military Secretaire two-part Chest by S.W. Silver & Co.

This chest has a full length secretaire drawer with a drop down front, containing two banks of two drawers with four pigeon holes and an open space to the middle. The internal drawers are fairly deep, so much so that three drawers would easily fit into the same space. They are faced in satinwood and are all plain to their interiors. The writing area is green baize. There are slots to each side of the secretaire interior to fit a full-length retaining board, long since lost, to hold the drawers in place during travel.

The chest has gilt brass straps and handles. The handles are stamped with the maker's name and address of S.W. Silver, 66 & 67 Cornhill, Works Limehouse. The drawers have a simply line moulding cut into the edges to lift them. This chest has its original iron carrying handles to the sides and the original, removable feet. The lock to the secretaire drawer is stamped VR with a crown and Secure Lever whilst the other locks are unmarked. The drawer fronts are cut with a moulding line to their edge. There is evidence that the chest had an embossed S.W. Silver oval plaque to the back, which is now missing.

A good campaign chest by a good maker which is a touch lower than most. 2nd Half 19th Century.