Welcome to this new monthly feature by Peter Bunting Antiques. Peter specialises in oak furniture, portraits and tapestries and has created this feature to explore ‘on trend’ Country Oak furniture and its use within homes.
For this months ‘on trend’ Country Oak furniture, we have the humble Welsh dresser, which takes its namesake from the fact it was first built in England and Wales during the 1600’s.
Due to the many shelves, cupboards and drawers, the Welsh dresser is a perfect display piece for a collection or as an everyday useful space having ample storage for items such as pottery and tableware.
These pieces of furniture could be found in both small and large houses possibly being the major piece in a cottage or Manor farm house.
The Welsh dresser it is a real statement piece in the home and due to its versatility and storage capacity could be seen in a sitting room, kitchen, dining room or hallway. It’s due to that same versatility that the dresser would look fantastic in a modern home next to more contemporary pieces but also in an older house with more traditional decor.
A wonderful example of an 18th century Welsh dresser is this Oak dresser made in circa 1750. Despite the age of the dresser, it has actually only been in two households for the duration of its life.
What makes this Welsh dresser quite rare is the fact it has retained its original brass handles and feet. I’m told most Welsh farm houses and cottages cleaned their furniture once a year using a mixture of vinegar and water which gave a certain glow to the wood and contributed to the dresser retaining its original colour.
Although the dresser stands at an impressive 6 feet wide, I believe its first home was a very simple Welsh cottage, where it was possibly situated in the main room.
A Monthly Feature on 2Covet
