Often when centuries-old trunks did not survive the passage of time, 19th-century menuisiers (French woodworkers) would salvage the surviving wood and carve new furniture such as desks and similar trunks.  The facade was typically the most ornate section of these antique trunks, making intact frontages highly valued antiques.  Hand-carved from oak in Picardie, France, circa 1550, this period Gothic architectural is a beautiful example of an antique trunk facade that was not incorporated into a more recent furnishing.  Picardie is a former administrative region in northern France that is home to many Gothic cathedrals.  The Amiens Cathedral (mid-13th century) is the largest standing cathedral in Europe and is truly a masterpiece of Gothic architecture.

Our trunk frontage has five vertically oriented inset panels embellished with various forms of Gothic tracery, including high-arching niches, quatrefoils, and arcading, all surrounded by thick ribbing.  The center panel is significantly shorter, obstructed by meandering molding adorned with sinuous and scale-like carvings that envelop an iron key plate.  Round dowels used in construction are visible all over, adding to the character of the frontage.  The Gothic trunk facade from Picardie is nearly three inches thick and would make for a fascinating headboard, overdoor, or wall-mounted sculpture.

CONDITION: Old age separations, nicks and scratches.