Detail from the "Entkleidung Christi" showing a man using an auger. Egg tempera on oak, around 1480. Painted by someone around the Master of Liesborn.
The "Christmas market" shopping trip of last year went to the German city of Dordtmund. I took the opportunity to visit the Museum für Kunst und Kulturgeschichte, while the others were immersing themselves in glühwein and buying Christmas presents. The museum has a nice collection of medieval (and later) furniture, including a small strycsitten. I was able to make some rough measurements of the strycsitten, and of course took a lot of photos (without flash).
The Dordtmund strycsitten
The Dordtmund strycsitten is not completely original anymore. Several pieces have been replaced - or are missing - for instance, the horizontal bottom rail at the back. I could make some rough measurements using my tape measure trying not to touch the actual item or standing on the display floor (the guardian was watching my back). The strycsitten has a width of 90 cm, wide enough to squeeze in two persons. It has a depth of around 49 cm and a height of around 88 cm. Seating height is around 43 cm. The strycsitten is of German origin and dated to 1400. It is made from oak. The information panel also mentions that traces of paint have been found on the oak.
The front side of the Dordtmund strycsitten. The horizontal board below the seating is a replacement.
Bottom and top of the swinging backrest. The actual swinging pin is located (and hidden) at the seating.
The swinging pin is also not visible from the outside.
Three pins are used to secure the replacement front board.
The left and right armrests. Note that the top of the backrest has an angle.
This shows nicely the construction of the swinging arm. (On the wall an image of a quite different strycsitten is shown)
The sides consist of two panels decorated with a diamond grid with carved roses.
The bottom decoration on the side of the strycsitten.
The frame is decorated with twisted spiral columns (Left), at the top on which an animal figure (bear?) resides (Right). The spiral column on the right side of the struycsitten are largely detoriated.
The other side, unfortunately a bit unclear photo, but it shows a similar layout.
Writing desk
The view on the writing desk is a bit obscured by the iron strongbox in front of it. The writing desk consist of a small cupboard with a door, a movable writing plateau set at an angle, and a top shelf.
The panels in the frameword show intricate linenfold patterns.
The top (left) and bottom (right) panels have different linenfold patterns.
The lock of the writing desk.
The hinge moves from outside on the door to inside on the frame. Note the iron nail that secures the inside part of the hinge.
The writing plateau is connected with two small hinges to the top shelf.
Triangular turned chairs
Triangular turned chairs are a common type of seating found from the late medieval period up to the 18th century. The construction of these chairs remained the same during this period. The Dordtmund museum has several turned triangular chairs on display, however they date from the 17th and 18th century. Fortunately they have some missing parts, thereby revealing some construction details of these chairs. This type is also called 'Ammenstuhl'.
The side view of the triangular turned chair
Back view of the chair.
This photo shows how the parts of the backrest are connected. The armrest goes through the board of the backrest. The four V-shaped supports end up in mortises in the backrest board and the vertikal stile. The vertikal stile is fixed with a wooden pin to the backrest.
A view of the underside of the backrest. The armrest goes through the backrest and is fixed with a small pin from the underside.
The horizontal rails for the seating are all set at the same height ...
...whereas the horzontal rails of the bottom are all set on different heights.
The underside of the seating. The seating board consists of three planks. The (one) horizontal rail goes through the vertical stile.
The top of the seating. This horizontal rail does not completely go through the stile(s), but stops somewhere halfway and is then fixed with a pin (can be seen left and right). The armrest goes through the lower stile and is fixed with a pin.
Sort of top view of the triangular turned chair. My Samsung S9 (~15 cm) was added for size comparison.
Sort of back view of the triangular turned chair. My Samsung S9 (~15 cm) was again added for size comparison.
This 18th century chair has a gap near the stile, and nicely shows the groove and how the horizontal rails go into the stile.
A second 18th century chair is missing some part of the seating board and more clearly shows the groove.
