What were these boxes used for?

These boxes served secure domestic functions ranging from the storage of legal documents and textiles to the safekeeping of precious spices and household accounts. Their portability allowed owners to transport valuables easily during times of travel or unrest. Smaller lidded variants often sat on tables or hung upon walls to keep everyday necessities away from damp floors and pests. Over time, their utility evolved as domestic architecture incorporated built-in storage, turning them into decorative furnishings.

How do I date an oak box?

Dating relies on examining the construction methods, tool marks left by saws and planes, and the style of any carved ornamentation. Hand- split boards, pegged joints, and wrought iron hardware generally point to seventeenth-century or earlier origins. Later pieces from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries introduce machine-sawn timber, standardised fixings, and different secondary woods like mahogany or deal. Comparing the jointing style against known regional traditions helps narrow the manufacturing period.

How do I care for antique oak?

Antique oak requires a stable indoor environment away from direct heat sources, strong sunlight, and sudden shifts in relative humidity. Excessive dryness causes timber to split, while dampness encourages mould and wood-boring insects. Application of traditional beeswax polish feeds the dry grain and maintains the protective surface layer. Avoid modern silicone sprays, which penetrate the pores and damage the historic patina.

Are these pieces made of solid wood?

Most pieces from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries utilise solid timber throughout, including the panels, framing, and internal floorboards. Oak was chosen for its abundance, strength, and resistance to warping when properly quarter-sawn. Later nineteenth-century iterations occasionally incorporate secondary woods or plywood in non-structural areas such as drawer linings or back panels. Inspecting the grain direction reveals whether a board was cut from a single solid log.

Brown oak refers to heartwood darkened by a natural fungal process occurring while the living tree stands. This coloration yields deep chocolate and amber tones distinct from standard pale English oak. Furniture makers prized this timber for its rich aesthetic variety and dramatic grain figures. It occurs sporadically, making matched sets or large items particularly striking.

Home > Brown Oak Box > Page 5

Brown Oak Box

330 items · page 5 of 21

← Page 5 of 21 →

A brown oak box brings centuries of dense timber and quiet utility straight into a modern room.

Antique Victorian Slipper Box Solid Wood Storage Trunk

19th century

Save

Antique Victorian Slipper Box Solid Wood Storage Trunk

From Heavenly Antiques

£175

3+ MONTHS AGO

chests

18th century

Save

Small Oak Box Settle C.1760

From Collinge Antiques

£1,495

3+ MONTHS AGO

furniture

17th century

Save

Late 17th Century Carved Oak Coffer

From Salisbury Antiques Centre

£725

3+ MONTHS AGO

chests

19th century

Save

A Victorian Carved Oak Hall Stand C1880

From Castleforge Antiques Ltd

£675

3+ MONTHS AGO

furniture

18th century

Save

Good Early 18th Century Oak Candle Box C. 1730

From Webberley Antiques

£260

3+ MONTHS AGO

boxes

17th century

Save

A 17th Century Oak Coffer Carved

From Wickersley Antiques

£295

3+ MONTHS AGO

chests

17th century

Save

17th Century Oak Coffer

From Wickersley Antiques

£250

3+ MONTHS AGO

chests

Super 17th C Coffer All Original Carving

17th century

Save

Super 17th C Coffer All Original Carving

From Wickersley Antiques

£495

3+ MONTHS AGO

chests

17th century

Save

Rare 17th Century Oak North Country Box Settle

From Holmes Antiques

£4,800

3+ MONTHS AGO

furniture

1900 - 1920

Save

Edwardian Oak Barrel Money Box

From Past to Present

£110

3+ MONTHS AGO

boxes

One extraordinary pocket of history survives as an oak snuff box fashioned from timber salvaged after the devastating fire at the Houses of Parliament in 1834.

18th century

Save

C18th Oak Bible Box

From Antiques Decorative

£340

3+ MONTHS AGO

boxes

George III Oak Tapered Rectangular Candle Box

18th century

Save

George III Oak Tapered Rectangular Candle Box

From Blue Boar Antiques

£225

3+ MONTHS AGO

boxes

19th century

Save

Antique Arts and Crafts Oak Key Cabinet

From Past to Present

£145

3+ MONTHS AGO

boxes

Antique Period Oak & Country Furniture 16thc Elizabethan Boarded Coffer. English C1560-80

16th century

Save

Antique Period Oak & Country Furniture 16thc Elizabethan Boarded Coffer. English C1560-80

From Mark Seabrook Antiques

£1,475

3+ MONTHS AGO

chests

18th century

Save

Mid 18th Century Oak Spice Cupboard

From Holmes Antiques

£1,200

3+ MONTHS AGO

cupboards

17th century

Save

Antique Oak Coffer

From Deva Antiques

£385

3+ MONTHS AGO

chests

← 1 ... 3 4 5 6 7 ... 21 →

Brown Oak Box

Antique Victorian Slipper Box Solid Wood Storage Trunk

Small Oak Box Settle C.1760

Late 17th Century Carved Oak Coffer

A Victorian Carved Oak Hall Stand C1880

Good Early 18th Century Oak Candle Box C. 1730

A 17th Century Oak Coffer Carved

17th Century Oak Coffer

Super 17th C Coffer All Original Carving

Rare 17th Century Oak North Country Box Settle

Edwardian Oak Barrel Money Box

C18th Oak Bible Box

George III Oak Tapered Rectangular Candle Box

Antique Arts and Crafts Oak Key Cabinet

Antique Period Oak & Country Furniture 16thc Elizabethan Boarded Coffer. English C1560-80

Mid 18th Century Oak Spice Cupboard

Antique Oak Coffer

Add keywords to the filter

Price

Era

Period

Style

Material

Origin

Stock Location

Recently Added

Online Payments

Categories