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Pair of 1615 English Polychrome Painted Heraldic Lion Newel Banisters Finials

About the Item

Wer are delighted to offer this exceptionally rare pair of King James 1st 1615 English Heraldic Lion Newel Finials with period Polychrome paint Where to begin! What a find, these are original English Newel Finials which would have been used at either end of a bannister, they are totally and utterly unrestored and haven’t changed one bit in the last 405 years of their existence They can be used as pure decoration, they are freestanding and really define a space, alternatively they still have the original mounting holes to the base, they could be used as reclaimed bannister terminals once again Dimensions Height 37cm & 36cm Width 16cm & 13cm Depth 12cm & 17cm Please note all measurements are taken at the widest point Heraldic beasts were used in many different interiors: country houses; townhouses; livery halls; boardrooms of various institutions; churches and places of worship; and warships. As a result, the purpose for which these pieces may have been carved remains unclear. This pair of heraldic beasts may have been carved as newel post finials of a grand staircase; or as finials for a church or a livery hall. John Crowther (1837-1902)’s ‘Interior View of the Church of St Matthew, Friday Street’, a watercolor painted in 1881, demonstrates the use of such carvings within the interior of a church. In 20th century Britain, over 1,000 country houses were demolished. This phenomenon was brought about by a change in social, political and financial conditions – high taxation, death duties, and the loss of aristocratic heirs as well as workers to manage the estates following the two World Wars – which led to landed families selling estates and a large number of country houses being demolished. On 4 May 1912 ‘Country Life’ carried an advertisement for the ‘Stone Balustrade containing 140 turned balusters; 80 half-balusters; 13 massive pillars’ and ‘13 urns’ from Trentham Hall, Staffordshire, which were being sold for £200. This was a hint of things to come. In 1944 the trustees of Castle Howard began selling the contents of the house; the Duke of Bedford reduced Woburn Abbey to half its original size in 1947; and Alfred Waterhouse’s Eaton Hall was razed to the ground in 1963. From the turn of the 20th century, interior woodwork, including complete panelled rooms, staircases and fittings such as these heraldic beasts secured an active market amongst rich Americans. Bibliography: Anthony Wells-Cole, ‘Art and Decoration in Elizabethan and Jacobean England: The Influence of Continental Prints, 1558-1625’ (Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art, Yale University Press New Haven & London, 1997). This item is available for collection from our Wimbledon warehouses Condition Please view the very detailed pictures as they form part of the description around condition Please note vintage period and original items such as leather seating will always have natural patina in the form of cracking creasing and wear, we recommend regular waxing to ensure no moisture is lost, also hand dyed leather is not recommended to sit in direct sunlight for prolonged periods of time as it will dry out and fade.

Dimensions:

Height: 14.57 in (37 cm)Width: 6.3 in (16 cm)Depth: 4.73 in (12 cm)

Sold As:

Set of 2

Style:

Jacobean (Of the Period)

Materials and Techniques:

Oak,Hand-Painted

Place of Origin:

England

Period:

1610-1619