Henry VIII joined oak cupboard

Henry VIII joined oak cupboard, five sided and profusely carved with renaissance decoration typical of English workmanship, the upper section of the cupboard carved with five portrait panels and the central door panel portrait having the double head known as “the janus” (looking to the future and also the past) with carved renaissance grotesques, beneath this is another row of panels with renaissance urns with more grotesque work and the lower section of free floating panels carved with serpents and two winged angel pendants. The pot board is a later addition done around 100 years ago possibly by the workshops of Sam Wolsey.

While this cupboard could be English it is possible that it was made by a Flemish craftsman in England.

Provenance: Sam Wolsey, London.

Illustrated: Wolsey and Luff, Furniture in England – The age of the joiner. 1968. p.40. fig 37

A related English cupboard is illustrated in Ralph Edwards, The Dictionary of English furniture p.190, fig 2. Last picture here, now in the Burrell collection Scotland.