Oak Letchworth Dresser by Sir Ambrose Heal from Heals, 1930s

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Heal's oak Letchworth dresser, designed by Sir Ambrose Heal. Circa 1930.

Heal's cottage furniture suited the ethos of the new … Read more Heal's oak Letchworth dresser, designed by Sir Ambrose Heal. Circa 1930.

Heal's cottage furniture suited the ethos of the new garden cities and was first exhibited at the Letchworth Exhibition in 1905. This example is a slight variant with the plate rack above. The Heal's maker's roundel is now missing from the inset, located on the top drawer.

Simplicity itself in its design, the dresser is in good condition. Made in solid oak throughout, showing superb medullary rays in the oak. There are marks and knocks consistently around the dresser, a dent to the middle of the top to note.

The drawers and the doors open and close well. The dresser is sturdy in structure with no loose joints and has no woodworm.

The furniture designer Sir Ambrose Heal was a pioneer of modern design, introducing the use of simple, practical lines in furniture and making quality craftsmanship accessible to the middle classes. Heal championed the values of the Arts and Crafts movement, and in 1915 helped to found the Design and Industries Association (DIA), which aimed to encourage greater design values within industrial production.

A light matt Aquacoat has been applied to give a degree of durability, but with a look very much in keeping with how the dresser would have been finished originally.

Additional dimensions information:
The cupboard interior is 117cm wide x 40cm deep. There is 23cm in height above and below the fixed shelf.
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