Imagine you are a man, on a military campaign in India. You have left the comforts of home behind, but being an upper class gentleman, you do not have to do completely without. Before leaving you were able to purchase several wonderful pieces of campaign furniture – light, easy to carry, compact and most importantly, stylish and comfortable. You have a bed, desk, chair and even a small lamp for melting wax to seal your letters. Really, everything the English gentleman needs to travel in style!
When I showed the children this campaign wax lamp, they had no idea what it could be used for. Some suggested it was for carrying some sort of liquid, while others were closer, suggesting it was some sort of light or lamp. They were amazed to discover that the little lamp was used to melt wax to seal letters. They were even more amazed to learn that it was carefully designed to allow it to be used by a travelling gentleman – perhaps even one on a military campaign. As one child put it ‘how exciting!’
Campaign furniture has a remarkably long history. For centuries, people have created portable versions of daily necessities to use when on trips or for soldiers to carry with them. However, campaign furniture as we think of it today, combining beauty and functionality, dates to the 1700s. During this time, English gentlemen who joined the army as officers expected that they should have the same luxuries and privileges they enjoyed at home, even in a tent in a different land – many even took servants with them! As a result, furniture which was light, sturdy, collapsible and able to be put together without nails became very popular.
Almost any piece of furniture which would make life comfortable for English officers was available, from beds to chairs to writing desks. One of the most distinctive things about the campaign furniture though was its beauty. These were not cheap or unattractive pieces of furniture, they were produced to the highest quality using beautiful woods by famous furniture makers like Chippendale and Sheraton. What’s more, they didn’t stop at large, bulky items. Inkwells, flasks, decanters, lamps, and even boxes to keep cigars in could be purchased to help make life comfortable. The small oil lamp I showed the children is an unusual example. The lamp would be used for heating a stick of wax to use in sealing letters, but it had to be able to be extinguished quickly and safely, and able to be carried when on the move. With the flip top ‘lid’, the lamp is perfect for travel. Of course, the lamp could also be used as a tiny light – a bit like a candle.