By Giles from Giles Pearson Antique Restoration
Giles is our resident Scottish vernacular furniture expert. Pop in and see him - he's always got a story to tell about his latest finds. Here's one of them..
THE CHAIR, THE OAK, THE FUNGI, AND THE TULIP
The "Table Chair" or "Derby Chair" c1620, James 1st, or James IV of Scotland.
This chair is significant for several reasons, constructed with Oak wood with pegged tenons throughout.
The term "Table Chair" was used, as this was one of the first designs with a "back", instead of benches and stools at the dinning table.
The term, "Derby Chair" is derived from the Oak as used for construction, came from the Pennines in Derbyshire. The significance is that the timber came from a "pollarded" or "coppiced" tree that was old, short, dense, heavy and brown in colour, slow grown in a colder higher climate to that of Henry VIII, New Forrest in Hampshire.
Brown Oak, is caused by a fungus, "Fistulina Hepatica " that infects the roots of the Oak trees, and now we know, that Fungi is the way that trees communicate underground through their roots systems.
C17th or Jacobean Oak furniture is thereby considered to be genuine when it is dark in colour and very heavy, {Arthur Negus, c1970's}
Conversely, all the tall straight Oak was used for ship building in the 16th and 17th Centuries, Carrack Ships were the predecessor of the Galleon, prirmarally used for the keel , stern and bow. All together it took 2000 assorted trees to make one, yes1, Galleon,.
Incidentally, Legend has it that in 1580 Frances Drake was in Santa Dominica, and broke his rudder! Had a new one copied and made out of Mahogany!