Georgian mahogany veneered bow fronted chest of drawers. The top with pine string detail, the case with three short and three long graduated bow-front drawers each veneered in flamed mahogany with pine string edge, the drawer rails cross-banded in mahogany, on a raised and waisted plinth with apron between outstretched bracket feet. The drawers are fitted with steel lever locks and brass escutcheons, with fine oval pressed brass loop handles with commemorative Trafalgar backing plates with the motto 'SACRED TO NELSON/TRAFALGAR' on a stylised pyramid-shaped tomb flanked by cannons and flags. As some handles are fitted across the escutcheons it is possible that these are not original to the drawers, despite being of identical scale to the originals, as evidenced by a single pair of mounting holes being located in each drawer.

Nelson’s death on December 11 1805 during the battle of Trafalgar, resulted in a national outpouring of grief - with the Prince Regent reported “throwing himself upon a sopha” in despair and being “quite unconsolable for half an hour”. His funeral on January 8 1806 was the first non-royal state funeral held in Britain. A wave of memorabilia resulted, from artworks (illustrations of the funeral procession being popular) and mourning jewellery to furniture details including the handle plates of this chest of drawers.

The plates are commemorative in nature: The pyramid form depicted rising over the actual sarcophagus was an established sepulchral form in 18th century funerary monuments, being popularly known to British Grand tourists from the steeply sided Pyramid of Cestius in Rome rather than the Egyptian originals. It was also a recurrent Masonic symbol – Nelson often being claimed as a mason. Its use here also references Nelson’s victory over the French fleet at the Battle of the Nile in 1798, and the Egyptian Revival in both Regency and French Empire design that followed. Arranged around the pyramid are naval paraphernalia – captured flags, cannon etc - arranged as a classical trophy. Captured flags and banners were displayed as part of the actual funeral service. The encircling frieze of oak leaves and acorns forms both a national symbol, being the timber used in building the British fleet, and a symbolic ‘corona civica’, the oak leaf crown awarded to Roman soldiers who had saved the life of fellow citizens (Pliny, Historia Natura XVI.3); Nelson, having defeated the French fleet, had effectively saved the entire nation. Such classical symbolism is common in contemporary funerary and commemorative monuments. The curved handle is in the form of twisted rope, another naval reference.

Acquisitions for Elizabeth Bay House emphasise the early periods of occupation by the Macleay family, particularly that of Alexander and Elizabeth Macleay from 1839-45. Where posssible these are based on inventories and other documentary evidence. If no information is available acquisitions are made on the basis of documentation relating to other houses of similar period, style and quality. Documentation and surviving Macleay pieces indicate that new furniture was purchased or commissioned in the late 1830s for Elizabeth Bay House’s drawing and dining rooms, saloon and entrance hall only, with the remainder of the furniture having been in service at the family’s houses in London and Surrey (c. 1800-1825) and the Colonial Secretary’s house in Bridge Street, Sydney (1826-1839). Given Alexander and Eliza Macleay's increasing problems with debt, the bedroom furniture is unlikely to have been ‘updated’ following their marriage in 1790, and older pieces such as this chest of drawers with its generic Georgian bow front are therefore more suitable in recreating those spaces. The provenanced insect cabinets have guided the selection of furniture of comparable quality for the Elizabeth Bay House principal bedroom and dressing rooms (e.g. a four post single portable bed acquired in late 2005).

Placed in the principal bedroom at Elizabeth Bay House, this chest of drawers enables further interpretation both of Alexander Macleays’ pre-colonial civil service career in the British Transport Board , 1795 to 1818 during the wars with France, and the use of imagery and symbolism in early 19th century furniture and interior design. Artworks commemorating the victories at Trafalgar (1805) and Waterloo (1815) were common in British and colonial houses; an 1859 inventory of Macleay artworks lists portraits of Nelson, Wellington and Napoleon, which has guided the acquisition of the Elizabeth Bay House dining room’s artworks. The collection also contains a bust after the original by the Comte d’Orsay of the Duke of Wellington, and a ¾ portrait (EB 2007-1) after that artist of Wellington wearing the decorations of the Order of the Garter. The Vaucluse House collection similarly contains depictions of the battles at Jena and at Quatre Bras, the prelude to Waterloo. Colonial place names also commemorate the victories: contemporary to Vaucluse House, Bronte House (built from 1845 by Robert and Georgiana Lowe), was named for Nelson in his capacity as Duke of Bronte, a title bestowed in 1799 by Ferdinand IV, King of the two Sicilies, and stands above what is properly termed ‘Nelson Bay’.