The chest or coffer was the principle piece of domestic furniture in England in the Middle Ages. It was employed for the storage of personal clothing and household linen, for documents and valuables, and, owning to the scarceness of moveable chairs, it served with stools as the ordinary seat, even as late as Elizabethan times. This antique book contains a comprehensive catalogue of English chests, cupboards, and cabinets, with each entry having a beautifully detailed photograph of the piece in question - taken from the Victoria and Albert museum. A text that is sure to appeal to those with an interest in historical furniture, this book is not to be missed by discerning furniture enthusiasts and makes for a wonderful addition to collections of vintage furniture literature. We are proud to republish this text here complete with a new introduction on the history of furniture.