A rare and documented boarded oak box, probably Northern German, circa 1600

A rare and documented boarded oak box, probably Northern German, circa 1600 The lid carved to its centre with a gentleman wearing a wig, a doublet and cape, encircled by a laurel-carved wreath, against a scroll-edged cartouche, the front board with a pair of half-length portraits of a man and his wife, with high collars, both within a strapwork, scroll-edged frame, a bunch of pendant fruits beneath the shield-shaped iron lockplate, the ends carved with further bunches of fruit between foliated scrolls, articulated iron bale handle to lid, 42cm wide x 31cm deep x 17.5cm high , (16 1/2in wide x 12in deep x 6 1/2in high) Footnotes: Provenance: William Smedley-Aston Collection, The Yew Trees, Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire. See Lot 86 in this sale. The Hella Bunch Collection. The William Stokes Collection. Illustrated: H. Cescinsky & E. R. Gribble, Early English Furniture & Woodwork (1922) Vol. II, p. 40, Fig. 44, and in the text p. 31, where it is described as 'a fine ruffle or lace-box' and dated to the mid-16th century. The metalwork, in particular the iron lockplate nailed to an uncarved piece of the front board of the same shape and incorporated into the board's design, as well as the handle mounted to the lid, suggest that this box is from Continental Europe. This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * * VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com