Medieval and Renaissance Furniture

by Daniel Diehl

  Now assemble the headboard frame. All the mortises should fit together gently with one or two taps of a mallet. If the mortises and tenons have been properly cut, the corner posts, top and bottom boards, and stiles should all be flush on the back surface of the headboard. There should also be a continuous ¾-inch-wide channel running around each of the panel spaces. There are five boards in each of the three panels in the headboard. The widths of the boards vary greatly, but the widths given on the materials list will add up to the proper height to fill the space. You may use boards of different widths, because it is only the end result that matters. Cut the boards in the two outer panels to 14¼ inches in length and those in the center panel to 16 inches.

  Final Headboard Assembly

  Lay the headboard assembly on a level surface and remove the top board from the frame. Slide the panels into place in the panel frames. Replace the top board and ensure that the entire structure fits snugly and squarely. If you want to glue the mortise and tenon joints, disassemble the entire headboard, glue the joints, and reassemble the frame. There is no need to glue the panels into the panel frame. Replace the top board and clamp the headboard together left to right and top to bottom, making sure it is square. Drill two 3/8-inch pilot holes through the tenons on each end of the top and bottom boards, and tap the dowels into place. Cut the dowels slightly above the surface of the surrounding wood. Then drill one pilot hole through the tenons at each end of the divider stiles and peg them in place.

  Bed Frame Assembly

  Before building the tester, it is advisable to assemble the body of the bed; otherwise, it will be nearly impossible to hold the headboard upright while the side rails are being attached. Lay the headboard on its back on a level surface. Fit the center panel of the side rail into the rabbeted channels on the top and bottom rails. Stand the unit on end and fit it into the mortises on the face of the headboard. When you are satisfied that the joints on both side rails fit snugly, drill and dowel them to the headboard. Your biggest problem will be holding them square while they are being drilled and doweled. You can overcome this by building a temporary frame in the shape of a right triangle, and clamping it to the side rails and headboard while they are drilled and pegged. Leave the frame in place while the glue dries. When the glue is dry, stand the headboard upright with the triangular brace still in place. Gently allow the headboard to lean forward, resting its weight on the side rails. With the aid of two helpers, carefully lift the side rails so that the footboard can be slid into place. After making sure that the entire bed frame is square, drill and dowel the footboard to the side rails.

  Wings

  Following the side view and tester and wing details drawings, cut out the two wings that support the tester. Allow extra length for the tenon on the bottom of each wing and the angled tenon on top. Note that the tenon on the bottom, although the full 1-inch width of the board, has a 1-inch notch on the front edge and a 1½-inch notch on the edge that fits into the corner post of the headboard. The tenon on the top is also notched (see the tester and wing details drawing). The long mortise on the corner post into which the wing fits is only 5/8 inch wide, so cut 3/16 inch off each side of the ½-inch-deep tenon. When the wings fit snugly into the mortises in the side rail and corner post, glue them into place and dowel them through the side rail with 3/8-inch dowels.

  Tester Construction

  Cut the tester’s two long side rails as shown in the side view, tester and wing details, and cutaway view of the tester front edge. Allow enough extra length to cut the tenon on the rear end of each rail. Since the existing mortise at the top of the corner post is 1 inch wide, the end of the rail should fit easily into place. Only the bottom corner of the tenon should have to be removed to allow it to fit into place. Before it falls into place, however, cut a mortise to fit over the tenon on the top of the wing. When the side rails have been fitted so that their surface lies flush with the wings, glue and dowel them into place, being sure they rest tightly against both the wing and the corner post.

  To build the tester’s front, cut an L-shaped spacer board as shown in cross section in the cutaway view of the tester front edge. Cut this board to length so that it rests between the ends of the side rails. To establish this length exactly, measure the distance between the side rails at the point where they join the headboard. Do not yet attach this board. On the bottom rear lip of the spacer board, drill two 3/8-inch holes that are 1 inch deep. Locate these holes, which will receive the rod that supports the bed hangings, in the center of the rear lip, ½ inch from the point where the spacer meets the side rail. Drill corresponding holes that are only ½ inch deep in the top corner of the headboard’s top board. When these holes have been drilled, attach the spacer board to the side rails with glue and two small nails.

  Finally, cut and fit the small fleur-de-lis that ornaments the corner where the tester frame joins the wing panels. This decorative element is shown in the tester and wing details drawing. Note that it is made from the same thickness of wood as the wings and tester side rails. Simply tack it into place with two small nails.

  Cornice Molding

  From a length of 1½-by-2¾-inch stock, cut the simple cornice molding that surrounds the tester. This molding is shown in the tester and wing details, cutaway view of the tester front edge, and tester front edge drawings. The molding can be shaped with either a molding cutter or molding plane. It will be difficult to cut with a router because it is 1¾ inches deep. Attach the molding to the front, sides, and rear of the tester frame. Its position in relation to the top edge of the tester can be determined by aligning it with the spacer board on the front of the tester.

  Ceiling Panels

  The ½-inch-thick ceiling panels that cover the top of the tester, like the boards in the headboard panels, are of random widths. We have suggested—and this is only a guideline—a standard width on the materials list. Note that these boards are supported by the top of the tester’s side rails. It will be easiest to place these boards if the board nearest the headboard is installed first. Plane the bottom rear edge of this board so that it lies flat against the top of the headboard, then tack it in place with four small nails. Additional boards can simply be laid into place one after another. The final board at the tester’s front edge, which rests on the inner edge of the spacer board, will have to be trimmed to width. If cut so that they fit snugly in place, the ceiling panels will help stabilize the tester. There is no reason to nail them into place.

  Bed Slats

  Since there is no accommodation for springs in this bed, the bed slats must form a nearly solid platform on which to lay the mattress. These slats can be cut from any width of ¾-inch board, but we suggest a standard width of 6 inches on the materials list. The boards should be cut so that they lie securely across the wide bottom side rail. Space them so that there are no gaps larger than 1 inch between the slats.

  Finish

  The reproduction bed in the photograph is finished with a clear oil finish. If you wish to add a bit of color and richness to your bed, simply add a little wood stain to the oil, as explained on page 7.

  Curtain Rod

  A length of 5/16-inch iron rod, cut to the length noted on the materials list, will support the bed hangings. Insert one end of the rod into the 3/8-inch hole on the rear edge of the spacer bar and slide it into the 1-inch-deep hole. The other end should easily slide into the hole in the headboard. By simply moving the rod to the back of the hole in the headboard, gravity should hold it firmly in place.

  Bed Hangings

  The hangings shown on the bed in the photograph are painted on heavy canvas in the same manner as painted wall hangings. You can find instructions for making painted wall hangings in our book Medieval Celebrations. The stiffness of painted hangings, however, prevents them from being of any real use as bed curtains. A more practical, and properly medieval, solution would be to use a good wool fabric embellished with an embroidered decorative band around the edges.

  The length of mat
erial given on the materials list will make a drapery that hangs from the high end of the tester frame to the floor. Cut the fabric to conform to the angle of the tester. Along only the top and bottom edges, sew a 1-inch-wide double-turned hem, leaving the manufacturer’s selvage edges of the fabric to serve as the drapery’s vertical edges. This is a perfectly medieval approach to the use of cloth. Attach a pair of 2-inch-long ties along the top edge of the curtains at 3-inch intervals. These ties can be made from hemmed ¼- to ½-inch-wide strips of the drapery fabric or lengths of leather thong. Tie them around the curtain rod to attach the hangings in place, secured loosely so that the curtain can easily be moved forward and backward. If you want the hangings to be heavier than a single weight of fabric, place two identical panels back-to-back. The concept of an inner lining was unknown during the Middle Ages.

  Mattress

  The mattress on a medieval bed was no more than a straw-filled bag that could be refilled as the straw broke down and became hard and uncomfortable. With a little effort, you can fit a modern mattress to this bed’s dimensions or modify the size of the bed to accommodate one.

  PROJECT 27

  Gothic Cradle

  Gothic Cradle replica; original, English, fourteenth century. Oak, 32 x 36 x 34¾ inches. Collection of the Medieval Merchant’s House, Southampton, England. Photo by D. Tyler Huff.

  Even in the Middle Ages, the advantages of being able to rock babies gently to sleep were well recognized. This beautifully carved cradle, decorated and ornamented in the restrained Gothic style of the fourteenth century, indicates parents of considerable wealth and social status. In a cradle similar to this one, the future Henry V once took his naps. While the majority of medieval furniture was sturdily constructed, in the case of cradles, durability was a necessity. Not only were medieval cradles commonly used over the course of several generations, but people had large numbers of children to compensate for high infant mortality.

  This cradle, made of fine English oak, has a bright, painted finish. The overall ground color is yellow ocher, and the ornamentation and outlines are red. Ornate, polychrome finishes such as this were not uncommon in the Middle Ages and helped brighten up the almost perpetual twilight that existed in virtually all medieval buildings. This reproduction cradle is part of the collection at the restored Medieval Merchant’s House in Southampton, England.

  Construction Notes

  The original cradle is made of oak and painted in yellow ocher and red, but a variety of options are open to the craftsman. Although the combination of the finest wood and painted ornamentation is historically correct, so is the practice of using more humble woods, such as pine, and hiding their mediocrity beneath a layer of bright paint. Alternatively, you might choose to show off the grain of the oak with a simple oil finish.

  Materials

  The original cradle is constructed entirely of oak, but if you plan to paint it, you may wish to use a wood that is slightly less expensive, such as pine or fir. In either case, the dowels should be maple or birch. The end panels, side panels, and bottom will probably have to be glued up, and the braces laminated from two thinner boards. The side panels in the cradle at the Medieval Merchant’s House are single panels, but there is no structural reason for this. Because they are held in position by the end panels, they could just as easily be two boards, and if the boards were joined behind the line of the central side rail, the difference would not be visible. All the other materials should be readily available.

  End Panels

  Lay out the finished shape of the end panels on the end panel blanks, with the grain running vertically, and cut them to shape. Then lay out the positions of the slots (rabbets) into which the side panels are seated. These slots are ½ by ½ inch square and 14 inches long. Their exact positions are shown in the bed construction drawings. Although the side panels are seated into the end panels, the bottom panel of the cradle bed is not joined to other structural members. Cut the side panel slots. Then lay out the position of the mortise joints into which the side rails will be fitted. Cut the mortises in both end panels.

  Rails

  Cut the side and bottom rails to the dimensions called for on the materials list. Rabbet out the bottom rail as shown in the bed construction drawings so that it will support the bottom of the cradle. Mark the tenon ends on the side and bottom rails, and begin to cut the tenons. Fit each tenon into a mortise as it is finished. They should fit together snugly, such that the tenon can be seated with several firm raps with the palm of your hand or one or two taps with a mallet. Mark the location of each matching mortise and tenon joint to aid in the final assembly of the bed. Make all markings on the wood with chalk or on masking tape so that they can be removed easily.

  When all twelve of the mortise and tenon joints have been fitted, assemble the frame of the cradle bed. Ensure that the frame is square and plumb, then slide the side panels into place. If they are tight, or if any of the side rails interfere with their sliding into position, correct the problem at this time. When you can slide the side panels into position with relative ease, the bed is ready for final assembly.

  Bed Assembly

  Working on a level surface, assemble the rails and end panels. Make certain that the bed frame is level and square. Pull the side rails snugly into the end panel mortises with bar clamps. Drill and peg the mortise and tenon joints with 3/8-inch dowels. Slightly tapering the dowels will allow them to seat more easily. When all the dowels are in place, trim off the ends near the surface of the wood. Put the bottom panel into place in the cradle bed, and insert the side panels, which should hold the bottom panel in place.

  Finials

  The ball finials on the four corners of the cradle bed serve as locks to hold the side panels in place. Carve or lathe-turn the finials as shown in the drawings. The base of the finials should be 2 inches square, sufficient to cover the top of the side rail and the width of the end panel. On the bottom of each finial, turn or insert a 3/8-inch dowel pin to a depth of 1 inch, with another 1 inch extending from the finial base. Drill a dowel hole at a corresponding location on each corner of the cradle bed. If the dowels fit fairly snugly, they should not need to be cross-doweled to hold them in place. Set the bed aside.

  Leg Units

  Cut the main support posts and feet to the dimensions given on the materials list. Cut the tenons on the bottom of both posts. The tenon on each support post is 2½ inches long so that it will pass completely through the foot. This will provide as much support as possible for the cradle and help prevent the structure from wobbling. Throughout the process of constructing the leg units, keep the components of each leg separate, because the pieces probably will not be interchangeable.

  Lay out the design of the leg braces, allowing plenty of wood from which to cut the tenons at the top and bottom of each brace. The outline of the brace may be enlarged, by hand or on a photocopier, from the carving detail drawings. Cut the tenon on just the top end of each brace. Position the braces on the sides of the support posts, with the bottoms of the braces and posts level with each other, and mark the point at which they will join. Then lay out and cut mortises in the support posts to receive the tenons at the top of the braces. Set the braces into the support posts but do not dowel them.

  With a square, draw a line across the bottom of the support posts and braces to mark the positions on the braces where the tenons will begin. This line must be kept at a 90-degree angle to the side of the support post or the entire structure will be out of square. Mark the tenons on the bottom of the braces, remove the braces from the support posts, and cut the tenons.

  Set the braces back into the support posts, align each post-and-brace unit with the feet, and mark the positions of the three mortises that need to be cut into each foot. The tenon on the main support runs completely through the foot, but those on the braces do not. When both leg units have been brought to this point, assemble the components and mark the position of the brace panels on the inside face of the braces and legs and th
e tops of the feet. Disassemble the leg units and cut the rabbets into which the panels will be inserted. These rabbets are only ¼ inch deep.

  Brace Panels

  To cut the brace panels, it may be wise to reassemble the leg units and trace around the panel openings in order to make templates from which to cut the panels. Add ¼ inch around the tracing to allow for the portion of the panel that will be set into the rabbet. Cut the templates from thin plywood or heavy cardboard so that they can be test-fit into the frame before cutting the final panels.

  Chamfered Edges

  With a chisel or hand router, cut the chamfered edges on the tops of the feet, along the outside edges of the braces, and on the inside face of each support post above the brace (see side view drawing).

  Support Post Carving

  Lay out the Gothic spire on the top of the support posts and the details of the panel carvings, according to the carving detail drawings. The panel carving appears on only the outside face of each support post, but small triangles are carved near the top of the spire on the side faces of the posts (see side view drawing). The panel carving on the outside face of each support post is only ¼ inch deep. The main area of the panels is completely flat. The narrow, ¼-inch edge banding around the panels is slightly concave. This can be executed with either a round gouge or a handheld router such as a Dremel tool.

  Brace Panel Carving

  Enlarge the detail drawing of the panel carvings on a photocopier until it fits onto the brace panel board, allowing for the ¼-inch rabbet. Use a sharp knife to cut the pattern around the outline of the panel designs. Trace the pattern onto the brace panel, and cut out the inside and outside designs with a coping saw. The designs on this panel are too small to cut with a reciprocal saw (saber saw). Finish-sand the interior edges of the cutouts. With gouges or a handheld grinder, shape the concave edging around all the panels. Note in the section B drawing that the concave edge design is executed on both sides of the panel. When the cut edges of the design have been carved, you can execute the low relief carvings, shown in the drawings as shaded areas between the pierced designs.