A beautiful 19th century Swedish painted bombe trunk marriage chest dated 1833. The chest is pine with a domed top and tapering sides. The paintwork is all original and is decorated with floral and bird motifs against a typical Swedish grey/blue background. The front shows two floral wreaths with initials and the date 1833. The chest is in good solid condition , with central iron strap work , iron corner bindings and large wrought iron handles. The lock and key are all in working order.

One of the quintessential items of peasant furniture anywhere but especially in Europe is the colourful folk painted antique pine box, coffer, trunk or chest. These were often made for a marriage and to hold the wedding dress, and Sunday best, and also linens and jewellery given at the time of marriage and so we call them “dowries”, marriage coffers, trousseau, hope chests amongst other names. They were often accompanied by other similarly decorated pieces of furniture, whose role was similar, such as an armoire or a chest of drawers or a painted dresser and also by smaller items like a spoon or plate rack. A poorer family might have one marriage piece though and this in all likelihood would be a dowry box. Other rules governing the painted decoration of marriage trunks were tribal, local and ceremonial. As a dowry gift and key furnishing of ritual importance the marriage box often had symbolic decoration. Religious symbols promoting piety, fidelity in love and faith, promise of the protection of Jesus. Flowers – but not just any flowers. Birds, but not any birds, birds with certain significations promoting fertility, prosperity, good fortune, like goldfinches, doves, golden orioles…
Painted marriage coffers often have the initials or names of the betrothed or just of the bride painted onto the front – normally there is a date, both of manufacture and of the marriage, and sometimes the name of the maker of the piece.
(Reference John Cornall antiques)