An early 18th century Welsh oak ‘Coffor-bach’ or ‘Bible box’. Made from well figured oak and has a wonderfully inlaid front made from holly and which has a curved design terminating with tulip head buds. Raised on turned feet.

This style of decoration relates to the inlaid tradition found on some furniture in parts of South Wales such as the Vale of Glamorgan and South Pembrokeshire.

Circa 1720 – 40

23½” wide x 13” deep x 10” high / 59.6cm wide x 33cm deep x 25.4cm high

£2800 Sold

(restorations)

From The Guide to the Collection of Welsh Bygones by Iorweth C. Peate, published by the  National Museum of Wales 1929.

The Bible-box sometimes called prenfol , prembol, or prennol – was a small edition of the coffer, and is reminiscent of the times when the quarto Bible was often the only book in the home. This type of box seems to have been made in Wales from the early 17th up to the beginning off the 19th century; examples resembling little chests with panels and sometimes drawers occur. The Bible-box would generally be placed in the siamber or bedroom,though it is a fairly general practice in Wales to keep the Bible itself in the kitchen or living-room where it used to be read generally at an assembly of the family and servants, each night and morning…

See Welsh Furniture 1250 – 1950 by Richard Bebb, Sear Books 2007 for a similar inlay.

This style of decoration went with some of the immigrants who left Wales for America in the 18th century and the became known as ‘Line and Berry” inlay. It is sometimes found on some furniture from the Pennsylvania area.