A beautifully made small Arts & Crafts coffer in solid chestnut, dating from the 1920s and attributed to Ambrose Heal.

The coffer has particularly interesting provenance. It was sold at auction by descendants of Christopher Heal and was catalogued as having come from his personal collection at the family home. This direct connection with the Heal family is particularly appealing and gives the piece a provenance that goes considerably beyond its attribution on stylistic grounds alone.

The construction is excellent and very much part of the character of the piece. The solid chestnut boards are joined with closely spaced exposed dovetails at the corners, deliberately leaving the method of construction visible rather than concealing it. The hinged lid is constructed with a framed central panel and sits above a simple rectangular chest raised on a substantial bracketed base.

Decoration is kept to an absolute minimum. A small dark metal escutcheon provides almost the only contrasting detail to the warm chestnut, allowing the proportions, timber and construction to define the piece. It is this restraint that gives the coffer such a strong Arts & Crafts character.

The coffer has survived in very good structural condition and retains a wonderfully honest surface. There are numerous small dings, dents, scratches and marks accumulated through approximately a century of use. We consider these an important part of the piece and have made no attempt to remove them. The chestnut has developed a rich, warm colour and considerable depth of patina.

Given the family provenance, the quality of the construction and the rather personal scale and character of the piece, it seems quite possible that the coffer was made within Heal's own workshops rather than being a standard commercial production. 

Without documentary evidence identifying the model or maker, however, we prefer to retain the attribution to Ambrose Heal rather than make a more definitive claim.

For us, the appeal of this piece lies as much in its history as in its design. It is a simple, exceptionally well-made piece of English Arts & Crafts furniture that has been used and lived with for around a century, with provenance directly back to the Heal family.

Viewing is warmly welcomed at our West London showroom.

High-resolution photographs, detailed condition reports and video inspections are available upon request.

We offer local, national and international shipping.

Please contact us for further information or to arrange a private viewing.