Antique Chest of Drawers

Dimensions: 165cm high, 80cm wide, 40cm deep
Code: WOOD 0121

This chest of drawers was sourced from an important bank in Kolkata and dates back to the early 1900s. It is made from teak wood, which is a tropical hardwood tree found across South Asia and is native to India. Teak was extensively used in India to make furniture, as it is a very durable and resistant to both the weather and insects. Normally teak is golden to medium brown and then darkens with age. This unique piece has thirty individual useable drawers each with a brass handle and enamelled number disc. There is a simple, yet effective, working locking system, which uses wooden slats on either side of the cabinet, when these are in place it stops the drawers from opening.

Kolkata, which was known as Calcutta until 2001, was once a cluster of three villages on the banks of the Hooghly River, a tributary of the Ganges. This area was transformed by the arrival of the British East India Company in the late 17th century where Calcutta became an important trading post for opium, muslin and jute. The city served as the capital of the British Raj for well over a hundred years, until the capital moved to Delhi in 1911. Today, this vibrant and soulful city enjoys the legacy of grand colonial architecture, magnificent mansion houses and many important cultural and corporate institutions. It is also an important centre for antiques and vintage collectibles. There are still a few auction houses around Park Street in the centre of the city, which once flourished during the days of the Raj. Today, however, the hammer grows faint as the auction houses are finding it harder to source genuine antiques.