A Dutch-colonial five-foot amboyna wood VOC chest with brass mounts
Batavia (Jakarta) or Sri Lanka, 18th century
H. 80.5 (including bun-feet) x W. 153 x D. 64.5 cm
The many moves from post to post undertaken by VOC officials in the course of their careers made the chest an indispensable item of furniture in every household and for transport. But to avoid overloading sailing ships with chests of all sizes and forms the Heeren XVII adopted a great number of resolutions regulating the form and seizes of the chests and the number each VOC official was allowed to take. On his repatriation, the Governor General was allowed eighteen large chests, a member of the Council of India ten, a minister of religion two and a carpenter, boatswain, cook’s mate only one smaller chest, about three-quarter the size of the largest chest...
Category
18th Century Sri Lankan Dutch Colonial Antique Burl Blanket Chests