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ID #SA1227942
FOR SALE
£1,250
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Heal & Son Victorian Chest of Drawers
For sale by Camden Antiques
for sale €1,463     $1,588
£1,250
Camden Antiques

Camden Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Jun 2012
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Id #SA1227942
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Heal & Son Victorian Chest of Drawers

19th century
For Sale by Camden Antiques
Description

A splendid early Victorian period chest of drawers by Heal & Son of London. Of generous proportions and of excellent construction in solid mahogany with attractive satinwood veneers and mahogany drawer linings. With a series of 2 short over 4 long, graduated drawers. All drawers fitted with their original solid mahogany bun handles. Sympathetically repolished in our workshops to a very high standard. Now offered for sale in excellent condition, ready to go straight into the home.

Dimensions:

Width 122cms

Depth 52cms

Height 120cms

Heal’s story began in 1810 when John Harris Heal, a feather dyer from the West Country, opened a shop at 33 Rathbone Place in 1810 (the business moved to its famous Tottenham Court Road location eight years later). Heal’s first incarnation was as a mattress business, selling French-style, feather-filled versions at a time when many people slept on straw palettes.

After John died in 1833 his widow renamed the business Fanny Heal & Son and with their son, also named John Harris, set about putting Heal’s on the map. The latter spotted the importance of marketing and saw the potential in advertising and, in 1837, promoted the shop on the back cover of Dickens’ novel, Bleak House – one of the first retailers to do so.

Heal’s Family Business

His grandson Ambrose Heal (1872-1959) joined the company in 1893, having completed an apprenticeship as a cabinet maker. His contribution expanded the business into a wider range of furniture, including beds, dressers, and tables. With an entrepreneurial eye finely attuned to demand, much of his output was simple oak furniture, which was fashionable with the ‘weekend cottage’ set at the turn of the century.

By the end of the 20th century, Heal’s ranked alongside Waring & Gillow and Maple & Co. as one of the best-known London furniture houses. Ambrose believed in modernity and combined a functional aestheticism with a conviction that affordable furniture produced in large-scale workshops could still be of a good quality.

Physical Dimensions
Height
120cm (47.24")
Width
122cm (48.03")
Depth
52cm (20.47")
Declaration

Camden Antiques has dated this Victorian Chest of Drawers to the 1850s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1227942
Dealers Internal Reference
18474
Description
A splendid early Victorian period chest of drawers by Heal & Son of London.
“
Of generous proportions and of excellent construction in solid mahogany with attractive satinwood veneers and mahogany drawer linings.
Camden Antiques

With a series of 2 short over 4 long, graduated drawers. All drawers fitted with their original solid mahogany bun handles. Sympathetically repolished in our workshops to a very high standard. Now offered for sale in excellent condition, ready to go straight into the home.

fig 1. A Victorian chest of drawers in warm brown figured timber featuring turned handles and a plinth base.
fig 1. Heal & Son Victorian Chest of Drawers

Dimensions:

Width 122cms

Depth 52cms

Height 120cms

Heal’s story began in 1810 when John Harris Heal, a feather dyer from the West Country, opened a shop at 33 Rathbone Place in 1810 (the business moved to its famous Tottenham Court Road location eight years later). Heal’s first incarnation was as a mattress business, selling French-style, feather-filled versions at a time when many people slept on straw palettes.

fig 2. A Victorian chest of drawers in warm brown figured timber featuring turned handles and a plinth base.
fig 2. Heal & Son Victorian Chest of Drawers

After John died in 1833 his widow renamed the business Fanny Heal & Son and with their son, also named John Harris, set about putting Heal’s on the map. The latter spotted the importance of marketing and saw the potential in advertising and, in 1837, promoted the shop on the back cover of Dickens’ novel, Bleak House – one of the first retailers to do so.

fig 3. A Victorian chest of drawers in warm brown figured timber featuring turned handles and a plinth base.
fig 3. Heal & Son Victorian Chest of Drawers

Heal’s Family Business

His grandson Ambrose Heal (1872-1959) joined the company in 1893, having completed an apprenticeship as a cabinet maker. His contribution expanded the business into a wider range of furniture, including beds, dressers, and tables. With an entrepreneurial eye finely attuned to demand, much of his output was simple oak furniture, which was fashionable with the ‘weekend cottage’ set at the turn of the century.

fig 4. A Victorian chest of drawers in warm brown figured timber featuring turned handles and a plinth base.
fig 4. Heal & Son Victorian Chest of Drawers

By the end of the 20th century, Heal’s ranked alongside Waring & Gillow and Maple & Co. as one of the best-known London furniture houses. Ambrose believed in modernity and combined a functional aestheticism with a conviction that affordable furniture produced in large-scale workshops could still be of a good quality.

Height
120cm (47.24")
Width
122cm (48.03")
Depth
52cm (20.47")
Date of Manufacture

Camden Antiques has dated this Victorian Chest of Drawers to the 1850s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1227942
Dealers Internal Ref
18474
Camden Antiques
Camden Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Jun 2012
Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Camden Antiques Profile Page

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A Victorian chest of drawers in warm brown figured timber featuring turned handles and a plinth base.
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Archive I A Victorian chest of drawers in warm brown figured timber featuring turned handles and a plinth base.

Heal & Son Victorian Chest of Drawers

Archive II A Victorian chest of drawers in warm brown figured timber featuring turned handles and a plinth base. View II
Archive III A Victorian chest of drawers in warm brown figured timber featuring turned handles and a plinth base. View III
Archive IV A Victorian chest of drawers in warm brown figured timber featuring turned handles and a plinth base. View IV
Archive V A Victorian chest of drawers in warm brown figured timber featuring turned handles and a plinth base. View V
Archive VI A Victorian chest of drawers in warm brown figured timber featuring turned handles and a plinth base. View VI
Archive VII A Victorian chest of drawers in warm brown figured timber featuring turned handles and a plinth base. View VII
Archive VIII A Victorian chest of drawers in warm brown figured timber featuring turned handles and a plinth base. View VIII
Archive IX A Victorian chest of drawers in warm brown figured timber featuring turned handles and a plinth base. View IX
Archive X A Victorian chest of drawers in warm brown figured timber featuring turned handles and a plinth base. View X
Archive XI A Victorian chest of drawers in warm brown figured timber featuring turned handles and a plinth base. View XI
Archive XII A Victorian chest of drawers in warm brown figured timber featuring turned handles and a plinth base. View XII
Archive XIII A Victorian chest of drawers in warm brown figured timber featuring turned handles and a plinth base. View XIII
Archive XIV A Victorian chest of drawers in warm brown figured timber featuring turned handles and a plinth base. View XIV
Archive XV A Victorian chest of drawers in warm brown figured timber featuring turned handles and a plinth base. View XV
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Camden Antiques

Camden Antiques
Telephone 07887 503 904
Location
Units 20 & 19
The Vinery
Poling
West Sussex
BN18 9PY
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/camden
Verified Since Jun 2012
Items For Sale 169
Items Sold 2,470
Camden Antiques
Camden Antiques
Verified Since Jun 2012
View Dealer Info
Location: Units 20 & 19, The Vinery, Poling, West Sussex, BN18 9PY, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/camden
Verified
Jun 2012
For Sale
169
Sold
2,470
A Victorian chest of drawers in warm brown figured timber featuring turned handles and a plinth base.
Heal & Son Victorian Chest of Drawers
Ref: SA1227942
A Victorian chest of drawers in warm brown figured timber featuring turned handles and a plinth base.
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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectChests of Drawers
  • Period19th century
  • StyleVictorian
  • MaterialTimber, Brass
  • ColourWarm Brown
  • MotifsTurned knobs, Graduated drawers, Plinth base, Figured veneer
  • SizeH 120 cm (47 in) x W 122 cm (48 in) x D 52 cm (20 in)

This early Victorian chest of drawers by Heal & Son dates from 1850 and exemplifies classic English Country House style. Constructed from solid mahogany with satinwood veneers and mahogany drawer linings, the piece displays a warm brown colour with a figured wood grain and a repolished finish. The construction comprises two short drawers positioned above four long, graduated drawers, all fitted with solid mahogany bun handles, keyholes, and a plinth base. Measuring 120 cm high, 122 cm wide, and 52 cm deep, this substantial storage item suits placement in a traditional bedroom or dressing room to hold folded clothing and linens. The item arrives ready for domestic use as a practical bedroom storage unit.

FAQs

Victorian chests of drawers are typically constructed from solid hardwoods or fine veneers such as mahogany, walnut, satinwood, or ash. They commonly feature a two-over-three or two-over-four drawer configuration, turned wooden handles, hand-cut dovetail joints, and either turned feet or a solid plinth base.

Cabinet makers during the nineteenth century utilised robust timbers with hand-cut dovetail joinery for drawer construction. Drawer linings were frequently made from solid pine, oak, or cedar, while exterior surfaces displayed high-grade decorative veneers or solid polished wood.

Authentic pieces from prominent makers like Heal & Son often bear stamped maker marks, brass badges, or impressed lettering along the top edge of the upper drawers. Examination of construction techniques, such as drawer runners, secondary timbers, and stamped brass locks, further confirms authenticity.

A Victorian chest of drawers functions effectively in modern bedrooms, dressing rooms, or hallways by introducing natural timber texture against neutral walls. Pairing rich wood tones with contemporary artwork, minimalist table lamps, or structured ceramic vessels creates a balanced, layered aesthetic.

To preserve timber finishes, furniture should be kept away from direct heat sources and sunlight to prevent drying or cracking. Regular dusting with a soft cloth and periodic application of high-quality beeswax nourishes the wood and protects the original surface patina.
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