Accession Number

2000.006

Description

This is a late 19th Century American black walnut pedestal with profuse ebonized and incised gilded decorative detailing. The top is rectangular and bordered by a curtain of wood cut in a repeating diamond pattern. The top is supported by a central turned column which is in turn supported by four smaller turned columns starting at the pedestal's mid-section. Each of these four columns is joined to a single Gothic-styled flying buttress that meets a short column that contacts the floor.

Narrative

Although this object has no Dunsmuir family provenance, it is the sort of furnishing that the family could have purchased for use in their Nanaimo home named Ardoon during the mid 1870's. The family had a documented habit of retaining their furniture when they moved to newer and larger houses, and so a pedestal like this one could very well have once been in Craigdarroch.  

History of Use

This pedestal is attributed to the New York City maker, Kilian Bros., 157 West 32nd Street. Its history of use is unknown. The Castle Society purchased it from a New York City antique dealer in 2000.

Date

1870 – 1875

Dimensions

96.9 x 35.3 x 51 cm

Material

Wood, walnut; Metal, gold

Technique

Ebonized; Gilt; French polished; Turned

School/Style

Renaissance Revival/Neo-Grec

Country of Origin

United States of America