Mary and Cat
Sheldon Mary (2) Sheldon Mary (2 ) This lovely figure, made in the 19th century and copied from the 1647 portrait by Van Dyck of Mary Stuart, was once on show in the kitchen at Sheldon Manor, a medieval house in Wiltshire U.K. When the house was sold the family took the figure and its companion to their new home. Anecdotal evidence suggested that 18th, 19th and early 20th century artists cut out suitable exisiting figures from oil paintings and mounted them on wood, but they also copied well known artists and made their work into dummy boards. This dummy board shows the eldest daughter of Charles 1st, Mary, who was married at the age of ten ( she wears her wedding ring and proudly shows it to you ) to William 2nd of the Dutch house of Orange consequently living much of her life in Holland. She died of smallpox in 1660 and was the mother of Wiliam 3rd who became one half of our reigning monarchs William and Mary. The figure is made on one oak board covered with canvas and is wonderfully painted in great detail. It has slight damage to the base and right hand side, which is re-constructed in our version. Size 3. inches (80 mm) £75.00. oil on basswood. Carriage free. Cat and Roses This sweet little fire screen dummy board was made in the U.K. in the 1950’s and is signed on the back B. Paulings. We know nothing about its origins or its maker. It is painted in a style reminiscent of canal boat and barge painting in nice bright colours and lives in a Victorian house in Stratford Upon Avon, Warwickshire England, where it is in constant use, the fire behind it not being operable. Canvasses painted with books, pots, tables, jardineres, boxes, animals and still lifes were common in the 17th and 18th centuries. Designed to be fitted into the recess of the grate to disguise the ‘black hole’, in the summer months, some of these were cut in outline as were the generally larger dummy board figures. Sadly, like dummy boards, many have perished. The purpose for which these paintings were intended has led to their demise. Exposed to damp when rain penetrated the flues of the chimneys, they were at floor level and thus at the mercy of children’s games and the brooms of servants. Careless removal and replacement according to the seasons added to the hazards. This one is however, quite safe! If you would like to purchase an item, or if you have a question, please contact Susanne. size 1 inch(28 mm).By kind permission of Mrs J. Brocking. |
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