Amber Cabinet

Cabinet of oak, all surfaces veneered with amber, inset with carved ivory plaques of mythological scenes, made in Gdansk, Poland in about 1700. Amber is fossilised tree resin formed millions of years ago and used since ancient times to make precious objects. The cabinet was made in the port city of Gdansk in Poland, which was the centre of the trade in amber. Elaborate pieces like this would have been made for the courts of European princes. This rare object also has a local connection. It was part of the art collection of the Blundell family of Ince Blundell Hall near Liverpool, England for over two hundred years.