19TH CENTURY CONTINENTAL MAHOGANY MARITIME CHEST

Description

19TH CENTURY CONTINENTAL MAHOGANY MARITIME CHEST CIRCA 1870.

RARE GERMAN MARITIME SAILORS CHEST WITH HAND PAINTED INTERIOR LID.

MAHOGANY EXTERIOR WITH BRASS STRAP WORK. WORKING LOCK AND KEY WITH A BRASS ESCUTHEON PLATE ENGRAVED WITH THE INITIALS HS AND DATED 1902, A FURTHER BRASS PLAQUE WITH THE INITIALS JS 1934 SUGGEST THIS WAS PASSED DOWN THROUGH THE FAMILY.

INSIDE THE LID IS A BEAUTIFULLY PAINTED PICTURE OF THE GERMAN SHIP SV INDRA, SIGNED BY THE ARTIST L WOLSCH AND DATED 1883.  THE FULLY RIGGED SHIP IS PICTURED AMOUNG OTHER SHIPPING INCLUDING A PADDLE STEAMER IN THE BACKGROUND.  THE SV INDRA IS A WELL DOCUMENTED SHIP, BEING BUILT IN HAMBURG IN 1877 AND OWNED BY WACHSMUTH & KROGMANN WEIGHING 695 TONS.  THE INDRA RAN AGROUND AND WAS WRECKED OF THE THE COAST OFF THE COAST OF ACAJUTLA, EL SALVADOR ON THE 30TH OF JUNE 1897.

THE INTERIOR HAS A PARTIALLY FITTED INTERIOR OF A CANDLE BOX WITH A SINGLE LOCKABLE DRAWER BELOW.  EXPECTED SURFACE MARKS FROM THE LIFE THAT THIS PIECE OF FURNITURE MUST HAVE HAD.  MINOR WARPING TO LID, BUT STILL WITH WORKING LOCK.