Home
Illuminated Manuscripts & their Patrons
Special Themes
Manuscript Production
Works by Students
Exhibit Catalog
Manuscripts Exhibited
Selected Readings
Sponsorship
Contributors

 

 

 

MEDIEVAL SCRIBE’S FURNITURE

The construction, features and overall style of medieval furnishings varied widely, as each piece was made by hand, to a customer’s specific description. Scribal worktops could hinge directly off the arms of a chair for instance, support a separate stand for an exemplar, or incorporate a screw mechanism to raise the page to a comfortable height. Depending on someone’s finances, nearly anything was possible. We tend to think of medieval furnishings as being executed strictly in oak, overly heavy and dark in color. In fact, archaeologists have found that medieval furniture makers and joiners took advantage of the characteristics found in 29 different species of wood to serve a growing market, with larch, pine, ash and oak being perennial favorites. Once built, wares could be carved, then brightly painted, waxed or varnished, and on occasion, certain features were picked out with gilding.

Scribe's Desk -Copyright 2005 University of Houston Libraries

Scribe's Desk
Kevin Stone
Materials: ash, iron, gold leaf

SCRIBE’S DESK

Ash. Style of the mid -14th century
This set of scribal furniture was produced using materials, tools and techniques common to the Middle Ages. Most, if not all of the tools pictured below would be instantly recognizable to a working craftsman today, as they have not changed considerably in form since the late Roman Empire. Most vital of these tools are the square, dividers, frame saw and hand plane, the first two being the foundation for all medieval building, including the great cathedrals. In building this suite of furniture, I chose Ash wood for its workability and widespread use during the period. Throughout, dowel joinery predominates, while forged nails play a supportive role, if only to remind observers that they would have done so increasingly during the era. Surviving pieces in France dating to the 14th century were the inspiration for the applied arcading, and the gilding emphasizes the fact that medieval craftsmen and their clients appreciated the occasional touch of color as much as we do today. -Kevin Stone