An unusual Jacobean oak two tier standing buffet, 17th century, circa 1615, the rectangular table top incised with floriate motifs, raised by four heavily carved legs united by a lower shelf. The buffet has been adapted, with the removal of upper supports and upper gallery, and later edition of leaf tip carved pelmet. The back panel has been elaborately carved with an allegorical scene of the war of the roses in the centre, bordered by an alternating rose motif and flanked by classically inspired Chimera Caryatids. The panel is inscribed Anthony grey Magdalen 1615. Anthony grey (1557-1643) married his wife Magdalene in the late 16th century. By 1639 Anthony had succeeded his father as Earl of Kent and remained so until his death, the grey family were a baronial family whose bloodline held the Earl of Kent title from 1420-1740. They rose to greater prominence during the Wars of the roses. Edmund grey, Lord grey of Ruthin, started out a Lancastrian, but switched to the Yorkist side at the Battle of Northampton. In this scene we see the prominent rose, being the white rose of Yorkshire, 149.5 cm high, 136 cm wide and 65 cm deep, other Notes: the Wars of the roses (1455-1487) was a series of civil wars, fought over the throne of England, between supporters of the house of Lancaster and supporters of the house of York. Both houses were branches of the Plantagenet Royal house, tracing their descent from King Edward III. The house of Lancaster, associated with a red rose, and the house of York, whose symbol was a white rose, hence the name war of the roses
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- Incised - A record of a name, date or inscription, or a decoration scratched into a surface, usually of a glass or ceramic item with a blunt instrument to make a coarse indentation. Compare with engraving where the surface is cut with a sharp instrument such as a metal needle or rotating tool to achieve a fine indentation.
- Oak - Native to Europe and England, oak has been used for joinery, furniture and building since the beginning of the medieval civilisation. It is a pale yellow in colour when freshly cut and darkens with age to a mid brown colour.
Oak as a furniture timber was superceded by walnut in the 17th century, and in the 18th century by mahogany,
Semi-fossilised bog oak is black in colour, and is found in peat bogs where the trees have fallen and been preserved from decay by the bog. It is used for jewellery and small carved trinkets.
Pollard oak is taken from an oak that has been regularly pollarded, that is the upper branches have been removed at the top of the trunk, result that new branches would appear, and over time the top would become ball-like. . When harvested and sawn, the timber displays a continuous surface of knotty circles. The timber was scarce and expensive and was used in more expensive pieces of furniture in the Regency and Victorian periods.
- Tier - One or more under-shelves of a table or cabinet.
- Circa - A Latin term meaning 'about', often used in the antique trade to give an approximate date for the piece, usually considered to be five years on either side of the circa year. Thus, circa 1900 means the piece was made about 1900, probably between 1895 and 1905. The expression is sometimes abbreviated to c.1900.
- Jacobean - Jacobean is the name applied to the style of furniture and decorative arts in vogue from about 1600 to 1630 which includes the reign of James I (1603-1625). The most common timber used is oak, and it is ornamented with turning and elaborate carving. Characteristic of decoration of furniture in this style are bun feet, mortice and tenon joints (replacing dowell joints) and 'X' frame chairs.
The style was revived in the 19th furniture (Jacobean Revival or "Jacobean style") as represented by most of the furniture coming onto the market in Australia, that is described as "Jacobean".
- Gallery - On furniture, a gallery is a small upright section, frequently pierced and decorated, around the tops of small items of furniture, such as davenports, side tables, and so forth. Galleries are made in brass or bronze,and be fretted, pierced or solid timber. A three-quarter gallery is one that surrounds three of the four sides of a table, desk or other top.
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