Town guide / Wirral, the Dee side
An antique coffer for a house by the sea at Hoylake
Hoylake sits on the north-west corner of the Wirral, with the Dee estuary on one side and the open Irish Sea on the other.
i.
The houses
Much of the town is Victorian and Edwardian: bay-fronted villas, generous terraces and seafront houses, many with suspended timber floors and wide hallways. Rooms facing the shore can swing between damp sea air and dry radiator heat, and oak answers by swelling and shrinking a little with each change. Old oak prefers steady conditions to a spot beside a radiator or under a sunny bay.
ii.
Antique coffers in that setting
A coffer is one of the oldest forms of storage: a lidded chest, often of joined oak panels. In a Hoylake hall or at the foot of a bed it earns its keep holding blankets or boots. Check that the lid sits flat and the hinges are sound, and ask Sara for the full height with the lid open, since a coffer under a window or shelf needs that clearance. A smaller Coffer-bach can suit a narrow landing.
No.02
Coffer
- Timber
- Oak
Price on application. Ask Sara whether it is still here.
Photographed in the collection, Plate 02
Period Oak Coffer
A panelled oak coffer with carved front panels and a plain lid. More detailed photographs are available from Sara on request.
One-off. Ask whether it is still available.
Ask Sara about this pieceiii.
Buying from Caernarfon
Life: Full Colour is in Caernarfon, with no branch on the Wirral.
Buying works the same way from anywhere: find a piece, ask Sara about it by the enquiry form or on 01286 400155, and buy through Creative Caernarfon.
Visiting and delivery
Life: Full Colour is based at 9 Segontium Terrace, Caernarfon LL55 2PN. Ask Sara whether delivery or viewing is possible for a particular piece.
Antique coffers listed on Creative Caernarfon
One-off pieces: ask Sara whether a listing is still available.
iv.
Questions for a Hoylake buyer
Salt air is rarely the real issue; changes in humidity are. Oak takes on and loses moisture, so it can swell in damp spells and shrink in dry heat. Keep a coffer away from radiators and strong sun and let the room breathe. Ask Sara about the condition of the lid and joints first.
Often, yes. Victorian and Edwardian houses in Hoylake tend to have hallways wide enough for a low chest, and a coffer gives seating and storage in one piece. Measure the depth left once the front door and any inner door open fully, then compare that with the depth Sara gives you for the coffer.
Coffer-bach is the Welsh name for a small coffer, bach meaning little. They are usually lighter and easier to place than a full-size chest, which helps on landings or in smaller bedrooms. What is available depends on what Sara has sourced, so ask her whether one is currently listed.
Life: Full Colour is based at 9 Segontium Terrace in Caernarfon. If you would like to see a particular coffer, ring Sara on 01286 400155 or use the enquiry form and ask whether a viewing can be arranged. She can also send photographs and measurements so you can judge the piece against your own room first.
A coffer needs clear height to lift the lid fully open, so a window sill or shelf above can get in the way. Ask Sara for the height with the lid open, then measure from the floor to the underside of the sill or shelf before you commit.
It can, if the lid is sound and the room allows the lid to lift. Bays often catch strong sun, which fades old timber over time, so a lighter rug or cushion over the lid helps protect it. Check the coffer's depth against the floor space in the bay.
A coffer is heavy before you fill it, and blankets or books add more. Where weight worries you, stand it near a wall and spread the load by keeping heavier contents low. For a firm answer about your own floor, ask a builder.
Coffers are low, usually around the height of a bench or a little under, and the lid should feel solid underfoot and under weight. Compare its height with a chair you find comfortable. A coffer used as a seat also needs a wall or something behind it to lean against.
Leave enough clear width for two people to pass, and check the stairs and doors can still open fully. A Coffer-bach is shorter than a full coffer, which helps on a narrow landing. Mark its outline on the floor with tape and walk past it a few times first.
Yes, but think about the lid first. Frames hung low can knock the lid as it opens, and people tend to reach over the top of a coffer. Hang the lower edge at least a hand's width above the highest point the open lid reaches.
Old coffers often have slightly worn feet or sides that are not perfectly straight, so a small gap behind one corner is common. Leave a finger's width behind the back so the lid can open without catching the wall. Ask Sara about the feet on any piece you like.