18th Century Dutch Colonial Teak Chest With Brass and Copper Mounts

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A Dutch colonial brass and copper mounted teak chest. With pierced mounts showing stylized lions and masks, bold carrying handles … Read more A Dutch colonial brass and copper mounted teak chest. With pierced mounts showing stylized lions and masks, bold carrying handles to the sides, and a pierced lockplate with bird motif. The chest sits on a two portable feet also with brass and copper nail heads. Original key for chest. The high quality of the decoration suggests it belonged to a person of high rank, likely a ships captain or island governor. This is a very fine example of this type of chest from Indonesia or Sri Lanka, Dutch East Indies, early to mid 18th century.

Note: Chests were an important piece of furniture in the colonies. Chests of all types of exotic wood were used to transport goods by ship, often these were re-enforced with bronze and brass mounts. Only high ranking officers of the East India Company would have owned the best quality chests.

J. Veenendaal, Furniture from Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India, Delft, 1985, p. 77-84. See less