AN INDONESIAN TEAK VOC CHEST WITH BRASS MOUNTS

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Indonesia/Jakarta (Batavia), 18th century

The chest mounted with bronze plaques around the edges and decorative nails to the top, the lockplate elaborate, with key, on two bulbous dark wood front feet and plain back feet.

L. 154.5 x W. 62 x H. 60 cm (without feet)
H. 80 cm (with feet)

Note:

The many moves from post to post undertaken by VOC officials in the course of their careers made the chest an indispensable item of furniture in every household and for transport. But to avoid overloading sailing ships with chests of all sizes and forms the Heeren XVII adopted a great number of resolutions regulating the form and seizes of the chests and the number each VOC official was allowed to take. On his repatriation, the Governor General was allowed eighteen large chests, a member of the Council of India ten, a minister of religion two and a carpenter, boatswain, cook’s mate only one smaller chest, about three-quarter the size of the largest chest. This chest has about the measurements prescribed in the Resolutions of 1717 and 1750 for the largest size allowed for transport to The Netherlands.