DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1399#0179
PLATE 258.
A CARVED OA'K SIDEBOARD,
BY MR. W. CALDECOTT, LONDON.
A "WORK such as the one we have here illustrated would have been considered some years
-*--*- since as entitling its manufacturer to rank beyond all his compeers; and even in the collection
of fine pieces of decorative furniture, contributed to the International Exhibition of 1862, there were
few which surpassed it in excellence of design and execution; the Jury signified their sense of its
merits by awarding Mr. Caldecott " Honourable mention for good design and workmanship." This
important piece of furniture was about eleven feet in length, and constructed entirely with English
oak. The design was furnished by Mr. Henry Olutton, architect; the modelling and carving being by
Mr. Phyffers, already favourably known by numerous well-executed works. Though in every respect
praiseworthy, it yet laboured under the disadvantage of being exhibited in an incomplete state, owing
to pressure of time. The original intention was to have filled in the three panels of the back with
carvings illustrative of Tennyson's " Idylls of the King,"—•" Gerant received by Yniol," " Lancelot at
King Arthur's pavilion," and " Lancelot and Elaine." Lamps were to have been placed at each end
of the sideboard, and the cornice was to have been provided with finials over each pilaster. The
open cut angle scrolls and other ornaments were very excellently designed and boldly executed,
the whole reflecting great credit on Messrs. Oaldecott's firm, which is one of the old-established
houses of London.
The sideboard used for displaying plate, &c, was in use among the ancients; it was adopted
by the Romans from the Asiatic Greeks; and under the name of " abacus " is described by Cicero,
Juvenal, and other Roman authors. In the Middle Ages it was called dressoir, generally placed
against the wall—whence our "dresser," both being furnished with shelves for plate; at a later
period it was called the cupboard and sideboard. In France a similar piece of furniture was
known as the buffet, a word originally applied to the chamber in which the plate was kept,
but which eventually designated a detached piece of furniture on which the plate was set out. On
grand occasions, when the plate was used as well as shown, the squires and attendants came to the
buffet for it, and hence were termed buffetiers—Ang. beef-eaters. The buffet at these festivals was
covered with rich cloths, and glittered with the treasures of the proprietor. "What its appearance was
may be judged from the following description of one in the hall at the coronation of the King
of Naples in the year 1495, taken from De Laborde's Glossary:—" In the middle of the hall was
a buffet, presented to the king, furnished with linen of the finest description from step to step,
and on it were placed the treasures of the king in gold and silver, which belonged to the buffet.
Ewers, gold basins, platters, plates, drinking-cups, jugs, bottles, great ships, gold vases enriched
with precious stones, dishes, spits, andirons, perfume-burners, fire-irons, bellows, lanterns, carving-
dishes, salt-cellars, knives, hot-water plates, and candlesticks, all in gold and silver. This was a
buffet of parade; but on ordinary occasions the buffet bore the plate for service and some dishes,
such as spices, confitures, and also the wines. The meat also appears at times to have been placed
upon it." In the "Memoire d'Olivier de la Marche," A.D. 1474, on the occasion of the marriage
of Charles, Duke of Burgundy with Margaret of York (Viollet Le-Duc's "Dictionnaire"), we read,
that " as regards attendance, madame the new duchess was served by a cupbearer, a knight to
carve, and a bread-bearer, all English, all knights and gentlemen of high lineage; the usher of
the hall cried out ' Chevaliers, a la viande,' and then went they to the buffet to obtain the meat;
and round the buffet marched all the relatives of Monsieur, and all the knights, as well of the order *
as of the household, two by two, after the trumpets, before the meat." At a fete given by Philip
the Good, in 1454 (Barente, "Dues de Bourgogne"), the buffet was resplendent with vases of gold,
silver, and crystal. It was surmounted by two columns : on one stood the figure of a female, half
robed in white drapery, her breasts spouting hippocras; to the other column was attached a lion
" vivant" by a strong chain, and on the column the words " Touch not my lady." "When Henry VII.
held royal state at Richmond Palace, " a rich cupboard was sett there up in a bay window of IX
or X stages of hight, furnissed and fulfilled with plate of gold, sylver, and regilte." Even the
modest Erasmus kept a dressoir of pieces of plate presented to him by the greatest men of
the day.
* The order of the Golden Fleece, instituted by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, A.D. 1429.
A CARVED OA'K SIDEBOARD,
BY MR. W. CALDECOTT, LONDON.
A "WORK such as the one we have here illustrated would have been considered some years
-*--*- since as entitling its manufacturer to rank beyond all his compeers; and even in the collection
of fine pieces of decorative furniture, contributed to the International Exhibition of 1862, there were
few which surpassed it in excellence of design and execution; the Jury signified their sense of its
merits by awarding Mr. Caldecott " Honourable mention for good design and workmanship." This
important piece of furniture was about eleven feet in length, and constructed entirely with English
oak. The design was furnished by Mr. Henry Olutton, architect; the modelling and carving being by
Mr. Phyffers, already favourably known by numerous well-executed works. Though in every respect
praiseworthy, it yet laboured under the disadvantage of being exhibited in an incomplete state, owing
to pressure of time. The original intention was to have filled in the three panels of the back with
carvings illustrative of Tennyson's " Idylls of the King,"—•" Gerant received by Yniol," " Lancelot at
King Arthur's pavilion," and " Lancelot and Elaine." Lamps were to have been placed at each end
of the sideboard, and the cornice was to have been provided with finials over each pilaster. The
open cut angle scrolls and other ornaments were very excellently designed and boldly executed,
the whole reflecting great credit on Messrs. Oaldecott's firm, which is one of the old-established
houses of London.
The sideboard used for displaying plate, &c, was in use among the ancients; it was adopted
by the Romans from the Asiatic Greeks; and under the name of " abacus " is described by Cicero,
Juvenal, and other Roman authors. In the Middle Ages it was called dressoir, generally placed
against the wall—whence our "dresser," both being furnished with shelves for plate; at a later
period it was called the cupboard and sideboard. In France a similar piece of furniture was
known as the buffet, a word originally applied to the chamber in which the plate was kept,
but which eventually designated a detached piece of furniture on which the plate was set out. On
grand occasions, when the plate was used as well as shown, the squires and attendants came to the
buffet for it, and hence were termed buffetiers—Ang. beef-eaters. The buffet at these festivals was
covered with rich cloths, and glittered with the treasures of the proprietor. "What its appearance was
may be judged from the following description of one in the hall at the coronation of the King
of Naples in the year 1495, taken from De Laborde's Glossary:—" In the middle of the hall was
a buffet, presented to the king, furnished with linen of the finest description from step to step,
and on it were placed the treasures of the king in gold and silver, which belonged to the buffet.
Ewers, gold basins, platters, plates, drinking-cups, jugs, bottles, great ships, gold vases enriched
with precious stones, dishes, spits, andirons, perfume-burners, fire-irons, bellows, lanterns, carving-
dishes, salt-cellars, knives, hot-water plates, and candlesticks, all in gold and silver. This was a
buffet of parade; but on ordinary occasions the buffet bore the plate for service and some dishes,
such as spices, confitures, and also the wines. The meat also appears at times to have been placed
upon it." In the "Memoire d'Olivier de la Marche," A.D. 1474, on the occasion of the marriage
of Charles, Duke of Burgundy with Margaret of York (Viollet Le-Duc's "Dictionnaire"), we read,
that " as regards attendance, madame the new duchess was served by a cupbearer, a knight to
carve, and a bread-bearer, all English, all knights and gentlemen of high lineage; the usher of
the hall cried out ' Chevaliers, a la viande,' and then went they to the buffet to obtain the meat;
and round the buffet marched all the relatives of Monsieur, and all the knights, as well of the order *
as of the household, two by two, after the trumpets, before the meat." At a fete given by Philip
the Good, in 1454 (Barente, "Dues de Bourgogne"), the buffet was resplendent with vases of gold,
silver, and crystal. It was surmounted by two columns : on one stood the figure of a female, half
robed in white drapery, her breasts spouting hippocras; to the other column was attached a lion
" vivant" by a strong chain, and on the column the words " Touch not my lady." "When Henry VII.
held royal state at Richmond Palace, " a rich cupboard was sett there up in a bay window of IX
or X stages of hight, furnissed and fulfilled with plate of gold, sylver, and regilte." Even the
modest Erasmus kept a dressoir of pieces of plate presented to him by the greatest men of
the day.
* The order of the Golden Fleece, instituted by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, A.D. 1429.