A George I studded leather muniment or travelling chest

A George I studded leather muniment or travelling chest,
early 18th century, the hinged, domed top over an arrangement of one long and eight short drawers, entirely covered in leather, with the exception of the pine back, probably horse hide and, with extensive studwork decoration, the lid with a coronet and initials 'C.R.', possibly for James Brydges, 8th Baron Chandos (1642-1714), the front with scrolls and flowers, the sides with a border with heart-shaped corners, enclosing heavy brass, carrying handles, the interior entirely covered with paper simulating wood grain, two notes are attached to the interior, one reads:
'This chest with drawers is covered in horse-hide: It is possible, but not probable that it was a travelling, chest: Mr Percy Macquoid inclines to the opinion it was not: the frame work of the stand and the upper part of the legs indicate that it was not so used: English: about 1640 A:D: Purchased: 1917: cost £65',
the second references a similar chest, sold by Sotheby's 6 December 1918, now on a later low stand,
102.5cm wide
58cm deep
76cm high

This chest bears on its top a baron’s coronet over a cipher of addorsed Cs. This may relate to James Brydges, 8th Baron Chandos (1642-1714) or his son,, also James Brydges and later 1st Duke of Chandos (1674-1744), whose ciphers were paired Cs.

English leather-covered trunks and chests were produced by coffer-makers. They were primarily intended for travelling and their configuration depended on, what they contained. Most were made to hold clothes and bed linen, but others were fitted to accommodate medical stores, books and papers or even musical instruments. For a recent account of 17th century coffer-makers and their products, see, Olivia Fryman, ‘Coffer-Makers to the Late Stuart Court, 1660-1714', Furniture History Society, 2016, pp.1-16. Fryman illustrates a number of trunks and chests of various configurations made for the royal household which have similar metalwork and, nailing patterns to the present lot, so it is conceivable that it was made by William Johnson, who succeeded Richard Pigg Jnr. as royal coffer-maker in 1707.