A large walnut cupboard (originally upper body of a cabinet). Two large doors with three panels each, antique lock, refined iron hinges, antique bronze pendants. Framed top. Non- coeval shelf feet. Center of Italy, first half of 17th century.
Product Condition: The item shows signs of wear due to age. Any damage or loss is displayed as completely as possible in the pictures. It may require restoration and recovery of french polish.
Walnut wood comes from the plant whose botanical name is juglans regia , probably originally from the East but very common in Europe. Light or dark brown in color, it is a hard wood with a beautiful grain, widely used in antique furniture. It was the main essence in Italy throughout the Renaissance and later had a good diffusion in Europe, especially in England, until the advent of mahogany. It was used for solid wood furniture and sometimes carvings and inlays, its only big limitation is that it suffers a lot from woodworm. In France it was widely used more than anything else in the provinces. In the second half of the eighteenth century its use decreased significantly because mahogany and other exotic woods were preferred.