Bench
Category
Furniture
Date
circa 1670
Materials
Carved oak
Measurements
120 x 215 x 60 cm
Place of origin
England
Order this imageCollection
Ham House, Surrey
NT 1140386
Summary
A carved bench, one of a pair with (NT 1140387), circa 1670, carved in oak, the back is divided in two rectangular panels, flanked by to each side by an arm in the form of a winged cherub's head issuing a fruits garland and a large scroll, the rectangular seat above a carved frieze of acanthus leaves, on scrolling foliate legs and hoof feet. The Ham House's 1679 inventory details the contents of the garden and this pair of benches could be the 'Two carv'd wainescot benches' listed in the 'Cloisters'. They were probably made by one of the joiners employed at Ham in the 1670s, possibly Henry Harlow who supplied the carved oak lecterns for the Chapel (NT 1139685.1-2). Although they are well-known as very early examples of "garden benches", they might have been initially conceived to be used as hall benches.
Provenance
The pair possibly the 'Two carv'd wainescot benches' listed in the 'Cloisters' in the 1679 Ham House's inventory. Acquired in 1948 by HM Government when Sir Lyonel, 4th Bt (1854 – 1952) and Sir Cecil Tollemache, 5th Bt (1886 – 1969) presented Ham House to the National Trust, and entrusted to the care of the Victoria & Albert Museum, until 1990, when returned to the care of the National Trust, and to which ownership was transferred in 2002.
References
Thornton and Tomlin 1980 Peter Thornton, and Maurice Tomlin. “The Furnishing and Decoration of Ham House.” Furniture History, The Journal of The Furniture History Society Vol.XVI, 1980, fig.141