A TRULY RARE AND IMPORTANT 15TH CENTURY WALNUT FOUR POSTER BED. CIRCA 1480-1500.

THIS MAGNIFICENT BED IS ALMOST ENTIRELY ORIGINAL, WITH GREAT PROVENANCE.

IN MAGNIFICENT CONDITION IT HAS A HEADBOARD WITH FOUR GOTHIC TRACERY PANELS, THE BACKS OF WHICH RETAIN ITS ORIGINAL RED VELVET TO HIGHLIGHT THE DEPTH OF THE GOTHIC TRACERY CARVING. THE HEADBOARD POSTS CARVED WITH ROSE.,THE SIDE AND END RAILS OF THIS RARE BED ARE CARVED FROM A SINGLE THICK PLANK OF WALNUT TO IMITATE LINEN FOLD PANELS. THE MAGNIFICENTLY CARVED FOOT POSTS CARVED WITH INTERLOCKING DIAMONDS CENTRED BY LEAF AND BUD CARVING. THE STUNNING VALENCE IS LATE 16TH / EARLY 17TH CENTURY ITALIAN RED AND GOLD VELVET WITH A METAL THREAD FRINGE.

THE WHOLE IS OF EXCEPTIONAL COLOUR, PATINATION AND CONDITION.

THIS MAGNIFICENT AND RARE 15TH CENTURY BED IS ONE OF A SMALL HANDFUL OF BEDS OF THIS TYPE IN EXISTENCE, ONE IN THE MUSEUM OF NANCY, FRANCE. ANOTHER IN BELVEDERE CASTLE, DORSET.

PROVENANCE:

FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE EXPERT AND CONNOISSEUR RAOUL TOLENTINO, NO 57 VIA SISTINA, ROME.
AUCTIONED BY AUGUSTUS W. CLARKE, NEW YORK CITY. 1922.
PURCHASED BY MITCHELL SAMUELS, FRENCH & COMPANY 1922.
PURCHASED FOR THE PRIVATE COLLECTION OF WILLIAM RANDOLPH HEARST, THE NEWSPAPER MAGNATE ,26 MARCH, 1935.
PURCHASED BY A PRIVATE COLLECTOR IN 1960.
PURCHASED FROM A PRIVATE ENGLISH COLLECTOR.

A TYPED LETTER OF PURCHASE SIGNED BY WILLIAM RANDOLPH HEARST THE NEWSPAPER TYCOON ON THE LETTER HEAD OF THE LOS ANGELES EXAMINER TO MITCHELL SAMUELS, CO-FOUNDER OF FRENCH AND COMPANY, COMES WITH THE PROVENNACE EXPLAINING THAT HE WILL PURCHASE THE BED FOR $2800, DATED 26TH MARCH, 1935.

ALSO INCLUDED IS THE AUCTION CATALOGUE FROM AUGUSTUS W. CLARKE, NEW YORK CITY. 1922.



STOCK NO 1834.

Dimensions

This object is eligible for a Certificate of BADA Provenance

Stock number