French Carved Oak Coffre Chest or Trunk with Shaped Legs, 20th Century

Based on the facing portrait cartouches on the front facade, this chest was most likely presented to a couple for their wedding in 17th-century Northern France. The oak wood has a deep brown patina that accentuates the hand-carved frontage, depicting a man (on the left) facing a woman (on the right), surrounded by scrolls and a sprawling foliate margent. A quarter-round edge embellishes the lid, which can be opened to reveal deep storage, including a 5 ½ inch tall side compartment. Several thin layers of molding can be seen on the low profile apron above small bracket feet. A chest like this would have been offered as a wedding dowry, most likely commissioned by the parents of the bride or possibly even by the husband himself. The chest would have been used to store valuables for the couple’s new life together, with the wrought iron handles on the sides allowing the chest to be easily transported. Our 17th-century wedding chest can be used functionally as a small storage chest for a bedroom or bathroom or displayed as a well-carved room...

Whereas many pieces of furniture during the Italian Renaissance were heavily painted or inlaid with decorative motifs, French examples utilized hand-sculpted elements as the predomin...

This is an unusually long Gothic style trunk from France, measuring nearly 6.5 feet long. It is carved from thick oak planks, and it dates to circa 1800. The trunk has well carved characteristic Gothic ornamentation on all of the front panels, while the rest of the piece remains simple, except a small molding to the lid. The big oak panels are joined by dowel reinforced mortise and tenon construction. The long single plank lid is attached by iron hinges and opens to reveal a large rectangular space which reveals how all the boards were assembled. There is also a latch and keyhole at the center. This rare trunk would be perfect at the foot of a king size bed, an accent piece under a tall tapestry...

An elongated French buffet with more than two doors is known as an enfilade. This bleached four-door enfilade (from circa 1940s) has been hand-carved in the style of Louis XIV. All f...

This solid oak coffer from the 1720s is full of gorgeous hand carved details and a wonderful patina. Swirling acanthus leaves and florals beautifully adorn the facade. Four columns b...

19th century oak buffet from France with a beveled edge around the top with nice hand carved details on the corners and front, following down to raised paneled sides which have carve...

Very beautiful trunk from the Renaissance period, very nicely carved with palm leaves and acanthus leaves in an architectural setting. Four Ionic co...

Early 19th Century French carved oak coffer, having a nice figured top with a decorative carved moulded edge, which opens up to reveal a large compartment space with a removable slop...