Day bed, English, 1660-1680

In the back an oval panel of cane work is surrounded by carved scrollwork, which is surmounted by a cresting carved with cherubs supporting a crown. The uprights are of spiral turning headed by finials. The framework of the seat is incised with a diamond pattern. There are four scrolled legs on each side, united to the seat-rail by turned knobs. The side rails are carved with cherubs and crowns. Like the cresting; there are three spiral turned central stretchers and one of the baluster form, which is modern. The angle back is adjusted by chains.

Given by Miss Ethel K. Baker in the name of Arthur Baker

Formerly on loan to Tamworth Castle Museum (ca.1976-2006).

Received from Miss Ethel K. Baker, 23 Copley Park, Streatham, SW16. Date of receipt 21.4.1927

Loaned to Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, 1951.

A 1987 description whilst on loan to the Bowes Musuem: The daybed has previously been worked on twice during its time here. New canework was provided on the base by a blind person’s workshop in Middlesbrough in the 1960s. This may have had your permission but we have no record. About 1972 the museum technician, on the orders of the previous curator, removed the stretchers so that the daybed could straddle a pipe. They were replaced later, without apparent damage. The daybed was designed to have four stretchers but there is no record of whether it had three or four on arrival. It has three now. One plain turned stretcher is fixed with angle-irons painted in a similar fashion to the daybed. The repair appears to predate its life at Bowes.

A day-bed of this period at Bolton House is described in the inventory of 1688 as ‘a couch chaire with a cushion’

From an extract from Miss Ethel K. Baker’s letter 1st April 1927: ‘We should like to present the day-bed in the name of Arthur Baker’

W.25-1927