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Chest - The Fares Chest

The Fares Chest

  • Object:

    Chest

  • Place of origin:

    Great Britain, UK (made)

  • Date:

    1400-1450 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    Unknown (production)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Oak, carved

  • Credit Line:

    Given by Mr J. Dowell Phillips

  • Museum number:

    W.20-1913

  • Gallery location:

    In Storage

  • Download image

This medieval chest has unsually detailed carving on both front and back, with the name 'N.Fares' carved in the back. We do not know whether this was the name of the owner. The chest was evidently intended to be seen principally from the back, where the main decoration was carved, and was therefore possibly for some public use, placed between the user and other people. Chests were the earliest form of receptacle, used for storing clothes, linen, documents or money. This is an example of the medieval method of making chests with six boards; one for each of the sides, bottom and top.

Physical description

Constructed of six boards, the front card with two scrolling sprays ending in a rose, with a space for a large lock-plate in the centre. On the centre of the back is a band with the 'N.Fares' in Lombardic capitals, preceded by a skull-cap and surrounded by a border of vine and grape ornament. Along the bottom are three cusped arches. One one end is a monogram forming the initials 'NF' surmounted by the skull-cap. The other end is plain. The lide is deeply moulded along its front edge. The lid and hinges are of later date than the sides as is the arcading underneath the back panel.

Place of Origin

Great Britain, UK (made)

Date

1400-1450 (made)

Artist/maker

Unknown (production)

Materials and Techniques

Oak, carved

Marks and inscriptions

N. Fares

Dimensions

Height: 44.7 cm, Width: 107 cm, Depth: 45.8 cm

Descriptive line

The Fares chest, six-board medieval chest.

Labels and date

THE FARES CHEST
Oak
ENGLISH; about 1500
W.20-1913
Given by Mr J. Dowell Phillips
The carved decoration includes the name N. FARES; a doctor's skull cap is also carved above the 'F' on the right side, and before the name on the front, a possible indication of the profession of N. Fares, for whom the chest was presumably made. [Pre 1994]
CHEST.
Carved Oak.
On the back the (owner's?) name N FARES in Lombardic letter.
On one end N and F in monogram.
ENGLISH; late 15th century.
Given by Mr. J Dowell Phillips.
W.20-1913 [pre-2006]
THE FARES CHEST
Oak
ENGLISH; about 1500
W.13-1920
Given by Mr J. Dowell Phillips
The carved decoration includes the name N. FARES; a doctor's skull cap is also carved above the 'F' on the right side, and before the name on the front, a possible indication of the profession of N. Fares, for whom the chest was presumably made. [Pre-2006]

Materials

Oak

Techniques

Carving

Subjects depicted

Flowers

Categories

Furniture

Collection code

FWK

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Qr_O93901
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