Sunday Morning Ramble

[poliphilo]

Sunday is clock winding day. We have two clocks that don't run on batteries- old Granny Botesdale, the long case clock in the room where we do most of our living and a brass bracket clock in the living room where my mother does most of her sleeping in front of the TV. The bracket clock- I'm informed- is a Victorian copy of a 17th century original. If it were 17th century it would be worth rather a lot, as it is it isn't....

17th century clocks are valuable, 17th century furniture isn't because people don't like dark wood. We eat our meals off a gate-leg table that was made during the reign of Charles II- which I think is rather wonderful- but if we wanted to sell it- which we absolutely don't- we wouldn't get any more for it- possibly rather less- than we'd pay for its modern equivalent in Debenhams (if Debenhams still exists.)

My parents (I'm surprised to find myself saying) had good taste in furniture. They bought 17th century; they bought Regency; they inherited my paternal grandparents stuff- predominantly vainglorious Second Empire baroque, heavy on the ormolu- and got rid of most of it; they inherited my maternal grandparents' stuff- well-made but unshowy George III and Regency- and kept most of it. Historic English furniture is so much better than its French equivalent. Louis XIV- who is the person most responsible for the debasing of French design- had lousy taste. Dictators commonly do.

My grandmother was a woodcarver. She appreciated good carpentry, good design. And she knew about antiques- at least she must have done if she'd read all the books she left behind about furniture and silver marks and porcelain factories...

Comments

[halfmoon_mollie1]

How very cool that your grandmother was a woodcarver. My grandfather worked in a papermill, but in his other life he was a builder. I don't know that he ever made furniture, but he designed and built a rocking horse for my mother that eventually was used by all of us and then given to the kids next door - unlike most rocking horses it was on metal arms that allowed it to swing. And he built a garden swing that was as good as anything on the market. My grandmother's kitchen was lined with cupboards - above and below - and a counter that was designed for my grandmother's rather small stature. I still have dreams about that kitchen! He knew wood, he knew well built furniture and he passed that knowledge on to my mother (and she, to me). I know the difference between wood and a 'picture' of wood. I know dovetail joints means better holding together ( and perhaps that the furniture was built by hand). I've probably never seen anything as old as your gatelegged table, and I agree it is rather wonderful.

[poliphilo]

My grandmother went to art school at the beginning of the last century. I don't know how much professional work she did, but I've seen a photograph of a First World War memorial tablet that is still- presumably- in a church somewhere. We have quite a lot of her work- decorative and intricate carving on boxes and cabinets. I should take some photos sometime and post them here.

[cmcmck]

My Grandad Snape was a carpenter of the coal pit variety (it's amazing what needed making of wood down there) and he left me with a deep love of all things wooden.

[poliphilo]

I don't understand the current prejudice against dark wood. I look round the room and we've got tons of it (literally.) It's lovely stuff.