Walnut Secretaire Military Chest

An English walnut Campaign Chest with long secretaire drawer.

The drawer front of the top drawer releases to fall by a sprung brass catch to either side of the drawer's interior. Once horizontal, it becomes part of the work surface of the desk. The back of the desk area has 2 banks of 3 short drawers to either side with a long drawer to the middle and 4 pigeon holes above. Below the long drawer is an open compartment for papers etc. The drawer fronts are veneered in satinwood with turned knob handles. There are some chips to the veneer to the top lefthand drawer, as illustrated in the final image. The height of the secretaire is 32 inches (81 cm) allowing the user to sit at it rather than stand, like a number of secretaire campaign chests.

Below the secretaire drawer, there are 3 long drawers. All the drawers have a cock beading cut to their front edge and are fitted with gilt brass, flush campaign handles. The handles are good quality, a little larger than standard and with a small dome behind the bale to leave a gap making it easier to lift. Each handle is fixed by 6 screws, which is perhaps excessive. The drawer linings are made of ash with quadrant mouldings.

The chest is brass bound and has removable, turned feet. It splits into 2 sections located to each other by 4 lugs. The back boards are pine.

This mahogany of this chest has faded to a good honey colour, accentuated by the brass corner straps. Circa 1870.