Hi, we’re sitting on a sea chest and would like to know where one would go to investigate its value And where would one find a suitable platform to sell/auction it.
Where do I upload photos?
I’m pretty sure it’s made of iron wood. One person thought it had a Neapolitan latch.
Mariners today tend to fly to and from their ships, so demand for sea chests is way down in the trade.
take it to a maritime museum
Hi thanks Bruce
It weighs a good 500lbs
Then it’s not a sea chest. Sea chests were used by sailors to carry personal possessions from ship to ship. They had a sea bag for the things that couldn’t break, and a sea chest for things that could. But they had to be light in weight. Easy to carry on your shoulder. Military foot-lockers are the modern descendants. Think 25 pounds empty.
Yes, it’s true, we were only making a guess. It’s just so massive and it is definitely a chest of sorts. But thank you!
That’s not a sea chest. Nice piece of history but not a sea chest. Looks like a ‘strong box’ that could be used ashore, or perhaps on a ship, to store money and valuables. Even the ancient Romans had them. You can google some that were recovered from Pompeii and they look the same. But they’ve been used through history as essentially a safe and were as likely to be found ashore as at sea.
Well that’s very interesting. My father-in-law was an archaeologists in Pompeii for decades starting in the 50’s.. he had warehouses of collectibles. He kept pretty detailed facts about most things but I don’t believe we have much info on this piece. Thank you so much!
My father had what they called a “Ditty Box” in the Royal New Zealand Navy, he joined when it was the NZ Station of the Royal Navy. It was a small wooden lockable box about 12 inches x 9 inches x 9 inches.
its huge, very ornate and those on this forum are right. I dont even think its maritime.
send some pictures to southerby or one of the noted auctions houses they have experts that may be able to identify it by its construction
Personal storage?
Yes, he bought up pieces all over Europe in his travels.. most things without proof of providence which made many things unmarketable - he collected for aesthetics and not for the value.
most of the items he collected are without proof of providence
I’m not a historian, but I have a “friend” who is (sorta) and this was his take:
The construction ticks almost every box for what dealers call an “Armada chest” (a 16th‑ or 17th‑century European iron‑bound strongbox). These were the high‑security safes of their day—meant to move coins, bullion or military payrolls overland and at sea. A few design details that point in that direction:
| Detail on your chest | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Massive wrought‑iron strapwork, each bar fixed with hand‑forged rivet heads running the full height/width of the boards | Standard on Spanish, German and Low‑Countries strongboxes of c. 1550‑1700—iron both strengthened the thin oak boards and discouraged thieves  (Bonhams) |
| Decorative fleur‑de‑lis terminations at the top of the vertical straps | Typical late‑Gothic / early‑Renaissance motif found on Spanish and southern‑German work of the 1500‑1600s (BADA) |
| Large, scrolled lock‑plate with secondary key‑slot | Armada chests often hide multi‑bolt mechanisms in the lid; the fancy external escutcheon is the “decoy” keyhole while the real key or release is concealed (Reddit) |
| Rows of short horizontal straps on the end panel | A pattern seen on many catalogued Spanish examples (sometimes called “Conquistador” or “pirate” chests) (1stDibs) |
| Sheer weight / heavy forged hinges (visible at the lid) | All about resisting crow‑bars on long voyages |
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Underside of boards | Pit‑sawn or riven oak has uneven straight saw marks; circular‑sawn means post‑1840. |
| Nails & rivets | Squarish shafts that taper, with off‑center heads = hand forged. Perfect cylinders = machine‑made. |
| Lock mechanism | Hidden multi‑bolt system with forged springs and wards almost guarantees 16‑17 C origin. |
| Provenance | Old shipping or estate labels, customs stamps, or inventory numbers painted inside the lid. |
Even a later revival example is collectible, but if everything checks out you could be looking at a true Spanish or German Armada chest circa 1600–1650—a very desirable piece of maritime history.
I hadn’t originally included the close ups. Here’s his 2nd thought:
Below are the things that really jump out after looking at the new close‑ups—you’ve got quite a few telling details that firm up the “early strongbox / Armada chest” ID and help separate 1600‑era work from later Gothic‑Revival copies.
| Feature you photographed | What it tells us |
|---|---|
| Rivet heads – very slightly egg‑shaped, all a little different | Hand‑forged and peened; machine‑made rivets (post‑1850) are almost perfectly round and identical |
| Surface of the straps – rippled “hammer‑mark” texture | Wrought iron bar stock beaten under a water‑powered or hand hammer; rolled mild‑steel strap would be much smoother |
| Decorative strap ends & lock‑plate – the Langue‑de‑bœuf / fleur‑de‑lis finials and the scalloped lock escutcheon | Motifs used on Spanish and Nuremberg strongboxes c. 1550‑1650; 19th‑century revivals usually copy the design but the outlines are crisper because they’re machine‑cut |
These points track closely with documented 16th‑/17th‑century strongboxes held by dealers and museums. (BADA, vallejogallery.com)
The second, tiny keyhole next to the main slot is a tell‑tale of the concealed relief catch used to release a lid that throws 8‑12 steel bolts into the side walls. That system is the technical signature of authentic Spanish‑/German‑made strong chests of the period. (1stDibs, Lock Collectors)
If you can open the lid safely, you should see an iron plate screwed to the underside. Slide it back and you’ll expose the forest of bolts and springs—photographing that mechanism is the quickest way any specialist will pin down the date.
If you do spot perfectly concentric circular‑saw marks anywhere, you’re into Victorian territory; none are visible in the photos so far.
Repairs don’t hurt value if they’re called out honestly.
| Parameter | Best fit |
|---|---|
| Workshop area | Nuremberg (southern Germany) or Toledo/San Sebastián (Spain) – the lock‑plate scrollwork leans a bit more Spanish, but the fleur‑de‑lis strap ends were used by both regions |
| Production window | Late Renaissance to early Baroque (c. 1580 ‑ 1650) – after that, straps become wider, rivets fewer, and the escutcheons show Baroque engraving rather than hammered relief |
The persistent (but wrong) “Armada” nickname comes from antique‑dealers in the 19th C who romanticised them as Spanish‑Armada treasure trunks; they were actually the period equivalent of armored safes for merchants, mints and military pay‑masters. (Lock Collectors)
Everything you’ve shown so far is consistent with a genuine late‑16th / early‑17th‑century iron‑bound strongbox—commonly nicknamed an “Armada chest.” The only clearly later element is that carved foot. A peek under the lid will settle the question, but I’d be surprised if this turns out to be a Victorian copy.
Feel free to share more photos if you can open it—especially the lockworks and any maker’s marks stamped into the iron straps—and we can narrow the attribution even further!
Following. I find this riveting!
I’ll see myself out.
Now I see why young pistols need an internet access o/b so desperately. Can appear savvy on all topics with AI advisor 
Alright for the young bucks who don’t have to get up in the middle of the night to visit the house of ease. Standing on one of those tugs would disturb the neighbors.
