Code: 10395
Dimensions:
An historic decorated cabinet on a Dutch stand with a fascinating history of the Leake family.
Formally a seaman's chest belonging to Captain Richard Leake of Harwich, Essex (more about him on Wikipedia) and inherited by his son John (also on Wikipedia) who followed him into the Navy and eventually became first lord of the admiralty. The chest saw action in battles of the Dutch wars of the 17th century. John married Christianne Hill of a Grat Yarmouth family. Fast forward 200 or so years and the chest belonged to Sir William Hinckley a lace mill owner from Nottingham who converted the chest into a radiogram. Seriously!
Latterly it has been used as office storage. Now sympathetically restored with a simple middle shelf added to the interior. Also given a good clean which revealed much of the painted details and an engraved date on the stand of 1637.
This very decorative cabinet is in very good condition considering it's age and would make a fabulous drinks cabinet.
