Charles I carved oak chest

17th century Gloucestershire carved oak chest of the best quality, showing all the same carvings as that of the known armchairs from the same workshop. The upper frieze rail carved with four serpent - like dragons flanking a small shield with an acanthus leaf within. At the upper outer ends of the top rail there are two applied shields one with the initials ISI and the other with the date 1640. Three main carved panels with huge flowing leafy designs within arcaded headers. The sides carved with lozenge type panels. This chest is rare and comes from the same hand as the few chairs that are known to exist and very closely matches a carved chair pictured in Tobias Jellinek: Early British Chairs and Seat 1500 to 1700, plate 40.This one also dated 1640. In a superb original old condition.