The earliest surviving case furniture for food storage dates from the late 15th century – a period when the term 'cupboard' literally described a board on which to set cups – but this sophisticated model probably dates from the late 18th/early 19th century, and is obviously a type distinct from the more common bacon cupboard. Welsh Furniture, Twiston-Davies and Lloyd Johne's rare, out-of-print tome, explains that bread and food cupboards are rarely seen anywhere other than North Wales, although some earlier Gothic examples have been found in England.
Indeed, such is the rarity of this type of furniture that it had been 12 years since these North Wales auctioneers had seen a similar example.
This cupboard was blessed by small proportions, 3ft (91.5cm) wide, rather unusual reeded side pillars, a glorious colour and untouched condition. Estimated at £3000-4000, it sold to the London trade at £7400 (plus six per cent premium).
The bread and cheese cupboard which generated immense interest
UK: IN THE primitive pantheon of vernacular furniture, the bread and cheese cupboard is an unusually specialised form, hence the immense interest from country furniture buffs in the oak example here which was consigned to the Colwyn Bay rooms of Rogers Jones and Co. for sale on February 29.
