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hrjSo what exactly is the target image I have in mind for this piece of furniture? I wanted something that would be a combination of a “display” piece where serving dishes could be stored visibly or staged for use, but also with internal space for the (modern) modular storage totes. Ideally, the visible storage/display space would be appropriate both for serving dishes (plates, pitchers, glassware, etc.) but also for my reproduction cookware.
Initial research suggested that the sort of thing I was looking for would be most appropriate for the 15-16th century, which also fit best with the era of most of my reproduction pottery. (It doesn’t necessarily fit ideally with the eras I dress for -- I tend to max out at the end of the 15th century.)
Manuscript illustrations (primarily Burgundian) provide examples of a couple of basic types, both of which could be thought of as a wide box (with doors on the front), standing on 4 legs, with a shelf fixed at the bottom of the legs just above the floor.
The more elaborate variant adds a backing, either simply as a standing panel, or with shelving and sometimes a shallow canopy:
(Brussels, ca. 1472)
While simpler versions stick to the basic description:
Given that my persona is nominally Welsh, I have a wonderful resource for examples of surviving historic furniture in Richard Bebb’s massive 2-volume Welsh Furniture 1250-1950. The examples there cover a slightly different set of characteristics. To some extent, I was using this set of images to identify the range of variation in individual features found in the furniture depicted in the manuscript images.
Cabinet with legs and lower platform - possibly French or Burgundian in origin, late 15th c. (legs and lower shelf have been replaced)
Tall cabinet with legs but no lower platform (“Prince Arthur’s Cupboard” 15th c.)
Low cabinet with legs and no lower platform, except I seem to have cropped off the legs in this image (St. Donats Castle, ca. 1510-25)
Tall cabinet with legs and no lower platform, canopied backing (“Gwydir Cupboard” ca. 1525-45)
Cabinet extending from the floor (no separate legs) with canopied backing (Raglan Castle late 15th c.)
The furniture style that became famous as the “Welsh Dresser” doesn’t seem to start showing up until the late 17th century, although it shows its lineal descent from 15th century styles. When I first started thinking about furniture of this type for SCA use, I was hoping to discover examples more like this before 1600 but, alas, that seems not to be the case. (This example Denbighshire, ca. 1680-1710)
Both in terms of esthetics and functionality, I found myself drawn to the “cabinet + legs + lower platform + canopied backing with shelves” style. This left me with two engineering problems to solve. How was I going to construct the basic elements of the piece? And how was I going to design them to disassemble for transport but re-assemble quickly and easily into a stable result? (to be continued)
Initial research suggested that the sort of thing I was looking for would be most appropriate for the 15-16th century, which also fit best with the era of most of my reproduction pottery. (It doesn’t necessarily fit ideally with the eras I dress for -- I tend to max out at the end of the 15th century.)
Manuscript illustrations (primarily Burgundian) provide examples of a couple of basic types, both of which could be thought of as a wide box (with doors on the front), standing on 4 legs, with a shelf fixed at the bottom of the legs just above the floor.
The more elaborate variant adds a backing, either simply as a standing panel, or with shelving and sometimes a shallow canopy:
(Brussels, ca. 1472)
While simpler versions stick to the basic description:
Given that my persona is nominally Welsh, I have a wonderful resource for examples of surviving historic furniture in Richard Bebb’s massive 2-volume Welsh Furniture 1250-1950. The examples there cover a slightly different set of characteristics. To some extent, I was using this set of images to identify the range of variation in individual features found in the furniture depicted in the manuscript images.
Cabinet with legs and lower platform - possibly French or Burgundian in origin, late 15th c. (legs and lower shelf have been replaced)
Tall cabinet with legs but no lower platform (“Prince Arthur’s Cupboard” 15th c.)
Low cabinet with legs and no lower platform, except I seem to have cropped off the legs in this image (St. Donats Castle, ca. 1510-25)
Tall cabinet with legs and no lower platform, canopied backing (“Gwydir Cupboard” ca. 1525-45)
Cabinet extending from the floor (no separate legs) with canopied backing (Raglan Castle late 15th c.)
The furniture style that became famous as the “Welsh Dresser” doesn’t seem to start showing up until the late 17th century, although it shows its lineal descent from 15th century styles. When I first started thinking about furniture of this type for SCA use, I was hoping to discover examples more like this before 1600 but, alas, that seems not to be the case. (This example Denbighshire, ca. 1680-1710)
Both in terms of esthetics and functionality, I found myself drawn to the “cabinet + legs + lower platform + canopied backing with shelves” style. This left me with two engineering problems to solve. How was I going to construct the basic elements of the piece? And how was I going to design them to disassemble for transport but re-assemble quickly and easily into a stable result? (to be continued)
