Elizabeth I Oak Boarded Chest

An Elizabethan boarded chest of simple but characteristic form, the front carved with two rows of guilloche and punch decoration, the sides cut to shaped feet. Constructed from thin oak boards nailed into place, this type of chest represents the tradition of carpenter-made furniture, distinct from the more complex framed work of the joiners.
Boarded chests were the furniture of everyday Tudor and Elizabethan households. Lighter and more portable than joined chests, they were widely used by yeoman families, parish officers, and tradespeople for the storage of clothing, bedding, or household valuables. Though modest in construction, the addition of guilloche carving gave even a simple chest a measure of decoration and display, reflecting pride and identity within the home.