Tudor oak portrait cupboard

Tudor oak carved portrait cupboard depicting the Dunck family. The two doors framed with panels the upper portrait panels depicting male and female figures with linenfold panels below. The base with a free floating renaissance decorated panel. each side with three large linenfold panels and a free floating horizontal linenfold panel at the base. The frieze rail carved with "Ole * doot * Chent * alle * dunck" with Tudor roses and skull within the lettering which means (triumph , death, innocent all Dunck) The surname Dunck was first found in Berkshire at Little Wittenham, a parish, in the union of Wallingford, hundred of Ock. The church contains monuments to the Dunche family. Sinodun Hill, in the neighbourhood, is surrounded by an ancient intrenchment supposed to be British. Prominent in the family at this time was William Dunk, Vicar of Sauton; William Dunch (1508-1597) was an English politician, Auditor of the Royal Mint for King Henry VIII and Edward IV; Sir Edmund Dunch (1551-1623) Flemish surnames are characterised by a large number of spelling variations. One reason for this is that medieval English lacked definite spelling rules. The spellings of surnames were also influenced by the official court languages, which were French and Latin. Names were rarely spelled consistently in medieval times. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to specific spelling rules, and people often had their names registered in several different forms throughout their lives. One of the greatest reasons for change is the linguistic uniqueness of the Flemish settlers in England, who spoke a language closely related to Dutch. The pronunciation and spelling of Flemish names were often altered to suit the tastes of English-speaking people. In many cases, the first, final, or middle syllables of surnames were eliminated. The name has been spelled Dunk, Dunch, Dunche, Dunke, Dunck and others.