Mahogany bedpost with carved decoration on a fluted pillar above a leaf-carved baluster, ca.1750-60.

Design:
The post is of tapering, turned form, with carved decoration, above a base section that is square-sectioned, with drilled and cut recesses for the fitments of the bedstock. Immediately above this a low socle is set with a low collar carved with twisted ribbons alternating with flower heads, and with a top collar carved with gadrooning. From this rises the reversed-baluster that forms the lower part of the post above the bedstock, this carved with spiralling acanthus foliage in low relief, below an outset, plain collar carved with cabochons on its upper edge. Above this, the fluted column rises from a double collar of upright leaves, the column bound with a continuous band of ribbon, rising in a spiral to a pair of collars of reversed leaves; below a capital with beaded architrave, plain frieze and cornice carved with egg and dart. Above this sits a block into which are drilled holes for the curtain rods.

Construction:
The post is constructed of a single piece of timber, with additional sections added to two sides of the base section, and with a separate cube added at the top to take the curtain rods.

The foot section is 40.5cm high and 9.3cm square. This is increased to a width and depth of 11cm by the addition of boards on the inner surfaces of the post at the top and bottom of this section, attached by headless nails which are punched below the surface. The applied boards are set about 7.5cm apart on both surfaces. Into this recess on each inner side is cut a slot, 5.7cm wide and about 2.4cm deep.

The two outer faces of the foot section each show two circular recesses 3.3cm in diameter and approximately 2cm deep. In the centre of these are drilled holes for the bed bolts, which pierce the slots on the inner sides. On one of the bolt faces, two screws are fixed proud to the surface, one at either end, the original fixings for the shallow decorative plank that would have covered the bed bolts. At the lower end are three tack holes which may reflect a different fixing of this end. On the second side there are several nail and screw holes for such fixing, but no shadow-line exists for the plaque on either side. It is possible that these concealing panels were the full height and covered all exposed areas of the foot, in the way that the boards on the inner surfaces do. This would have created a deep (7.5cm) recess for the castor, for which evidence of one deep drilling and three fixing points is found on the base of the post. The two remaining extension boards do show a shadow line at the base of the solid post, but it is not clear what this evidence is of.

On one of the inner sides the extension board is pierced near the base with one screw hole, for which there is no immediate explanation. Both extension boards carry modern mirror plates, added for museum display. A similar mirror plate is fixed to one face of the upper block.

The baluster section was enlarged with four separate sections of timbe, added before the turning and carving was undertaken.

The top block (approximately 10cm cube) is separate and is dowelled to the top of the post. One two sides are shallow (2cm deep) recesses for poles, each octagonal in shape, maximum diameter, 3.5cm. The back of each recess shows a centre mark where an initial cut has been made with a brace and bit. These recesses are on the same side as slots for boards in the foot section.

One screw hole on one inner face of the column, 185.8cm from the floor, is inexplicable.

This mid-eighteenth century carved, mahogany bedpost comes from Blenheim Palace and belonged to a four-poster bed with canopy. It is in the style of Chippendale and was probably made by the London firm of Ince and Mayhew, who specialised in furniture design, cabinet making and upholstery. It was acquired by the museum as an example of fine carving.

512-1907