Heal & Son “Owl” Cabinet.

Designed in 1906 by Ambrose Heal for Heal & Son, two upper doors with circular faces and chip carved edges with latch-turn mechanism. Sunken heart shaped handles and plinth base.

Chestnut

Designed by Sir Ambrose Heal

Made by Heal & Son

A rare and important cabinet designed by Ambrose Heal 1905 and produced by Heal & Son between 1906 - 1927.

Ambrose Heal was the great-grandson of John Harris Heal, founder of the Heals furniture manufacturing and retail business, he attended Marlborough College before serving a two- year apprenticeship to cabinetmakers James Plucknett in Warwick. This was followed by six months working for Graham and Biddle, furnishers, of London's Oxford Street.

In 1893 he joined Heal & Son, working in the bedding factory, but in the mid-1890s he began designing simple, sturdy furniture, often in plain oak (in contrast to Heals' standard "Queen Anne" and "Old English" styles). Although initially not popular with sales staff – who called them "prison furniture" – his designs appeared at exhibitions of the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society, and soon became so successful that prejudices were overcome. He continued to exhibit special pieces at Arts and Crafts exhibitions for more than thirty years, but his most significant contribution was to make simpler, well-designed, well-made furniture available to a broader middle-class public.