A Monumental Indo-Dutch Padouk and Ebony Brass-Mounted Chest, circa 1880

An exceptionally large and imposing Indo-Dutch colonial chest, dating to circa 1880, constructed principally from richly figured padouk with contrasting dark ebony architectural mouldings and brass mounts.

Of monumental proportions, the chest has a broad rectangular hinged top framed by a substantial moulded ebony border. The remarkable expanses of padouk display particularly expressive natural figuring, ranging from sweeping linear grain to tightly knotted and swirling patterns, the timber's rich reddish-brown colour giving the otherwise restrained form considerable visual warmth and character.

The front is conceived almost architecturally, with the great central panel enclosed between ebony turned and moulded pilasters. Shaped brass corner mounts punctuate the four corners, while an elaborate pierced brass escutcheon is positioned centrally beneath the lid. Corresponding brass mounts ornament the sides and top, their warm golden colour providing a handsome contrast with the richly coloured padouk and almost black ebony.

A deep, multiple-moulded plinth runs around the base, the chest raised upon substantial turned bun feet, reinforcing its powerful proportions. The combination of European-derived architectural detailing with indigenous Asian hardwoods and decorative brasswork is characteristic of the hybrid furniture traditions that developed under Dutch and wider European colonial influence in South and Southeast Asia.

At two metres wide and approximately one metre in both height and depth, this is an unusually monumental example. Its exceptional scale, bold architectural construction and extensive use of beautifully figured padouk give it a commanding presence, while the ebony and brass detailing lends considerable refinement to what was fundamentally conceived as a substantial storage chest.

Indo-Dutch Colonial, circa 1880
Padouk, ebony and brass
Dimensions: H 100 × W 200 × D 100 cm