Antique Oak Wellington Chest Secretaire
Antique Oak Wellington Chest Secretaire
29625
Victorian Oak Secretaire Wellington Chest.
The wellington chest of drawers is constructed in lovely quality oak, it consists of seven drawers, one is a secretaire drawer disguised as two. The secretaire with a fall front revealing a leather writing surface, two small drawers and four pigeonholes. All the drawers fitted with later brass handles, chest has a moulded rectangular top and is raised on a plinth base. The graduating drawers are secured in place by having a lockable swinging arm on the right side (no key).
The Wellington Chest was named after the 1st duke of Wellington and is one of the most famous pieces of campaign furniture (furniture specifically made for ease of travel). Consisting of shallow drawers, they have one or two hinged flaps overlapping the drawers on the sides fitted with a lock to secure the drawers in place when in transit. Wellington chests are sometimes referred to as side locking chests for this very reason.
The 1st Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, was commissioned as a low ranking officer in the British army in 1787. He later moved through the ranks to colonel in 1796 and then governor in 1799. He was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of 19th century Britain, serving twice as prime minister. He ended the Napoleonic Wars when he defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. It is said that the Duke carried a specific chest with him when in the field, a campaign style chest of drawers, with brass mounts to protect the corners, and a locking bar to hold the drawers in place. The notion is that this is where the inspiration for the first Wellington chests came from.
Dimensions:
1900-1949
Circa 1900
Oak
United Kingdom
Good condition, there is a scratch on the right hand side of the chest. The drawers would have originally been fitted with wooden knobs but has been updated with 1920's brass handles at some stage in its history.
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.The Wellington Chest was named after the 1st duke of Wellington and is one of the most famous pieces of campaign furniture (furniture specifically made for ease of travel). Consisting of shallow drawers, they have one or two hinged flaps overlapping the drawers on the sides fitted with a lock to secure the drawers in place when in transit. Wellington chests are sometimes referred to as side locking chests for this very reason.The 1st Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, was commissioned as a low ranking officer in the British army in 1787. He later moved through the ranks to colonel in 1796 and then governor in 1799. He was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of 19th century Britain, serving twice as prime minister. He ended the Napoleonic Wars when he defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. It is said that the Duke carried a specific chest with him when in the field, a campaign style chest of drawers, with brass mounts to protect the corners, and a locking bar to hold the drawers in place. The notion is that this is where the inspiration for the first Wellington chests came from.){kind=link}