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Rare Scottish Clan Duff Coin Chest 1859

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Furniture Start Price:750.00 USD Estimated At:3,000.00 - 5,000.00 USD
Rare Scottish Clan Duff Coin Chest 1859
<B>Rare Scottish Clan Duff Coin Chest</B></I> made of handcrafted oak and with its original finish, was built in 1859 by Thomas Frasier Duff of and for Fetteresso Castle of Stonehaven, Kincardineshire, Scotland. This lovely piece in immaculate condition presents a wealth of drawers, four of which are hidden, that are numbered and designed specifically to organize and catalog an important coin collection. The drawers reveal a myriad of trays that are subdivided. The majority of these trays sport the original velvet lining, while a modest amount have had their linings replaced with more modern felt. Of particular interest is the inlaid and engraved brass medallion plaque to the front that includes the clan's Arms of a lion rampant gules holding a dagger in its paw and the Latin inscription <I>VIRTUTE ET OPERA.</B></I> On the reverse of the chest is another inlaid and engraved brass medallion plaque clearly describing the item's provenance. This same craftsmanship is carried again to the front of the chest in the inlaid and engraved brass keyhole guards. It is important to note that Fetteresso Castle was original built in the 14th Century in the style of towerhouses common to nobility of the day. The castle was rebuilt in 1761 as a Scottish gothic-style Palladian manor. Late in the 17th Century, ownership of Fetteresso Castle was transferred to Clan Duff, which further expanded the building around the old towerhouse. The Duff's ownership extended into the 1940s, when the castle was sold to Maurice and Geraldine Simpson, Mrs. Simpson the heir to the Pringle Knitting fortune. This chest was purchased in Europe by a United States airman during World War II and brought to the U.S. The chest was acquired more than 40 years ago by its present owner, who was a charter member of the Florida United Numismatists and devout ANA member during his lifetime. The chest measures 30" wide