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Lot Essay
Southam Delabere dates to the early 16th century and has remained relatively unchanged since except for some minor neo-gothic additions. This tray depicts a scene which is remarkably similar to one illustrated in a 1907 edition of Country Life.
The armorial visible above the chimneypiece, with its distinctive ostrich plumes, is that of the De la Bere family. The De la Bere family had acquired Southam from the Huddleston family circa 1546 through the marriage of Kenard De la Bere of Kynnersley, Hereford to Elynor Huddleston. Kenard De la Bere added his family arms, shown impaling Huddleston and quartering other local families, to the space above the chimneypieces in the house. This tray possibly thus depicts Kenard De la Bere lounging in front of a roaring fire with the company of his three dogs, enjoying the comforts of his newly acquired home (H. Avary Tipping, 'Southam Delabere, Gloucestershire', Country Life, 26 October 1907, p. 594-601).
The De la Bere family remained at Southam until 1821.
The armorial visible above the chimneypiece, with its distinctive ostrich plumes, is that of the De la Bere family. The De la Bere family had acquired Southam from the Huddleston family circa 1546 through the marriage of Kenard De la Bere of Kynnersley, Hereford to Elynor Huddleston. Kenard De la Bere added his family arms, shown impaling Huddleston and quartering other local families, to the space above the chimneypieces in the house. This tray possibly thus depicts Kenard De la Bere lounging in front of a roaring fire with the company of his three dogs, enjoying the comforts of his newly acquired home (H. Avary Tipping, 'Southam Delabere, Gloucestershire', Country Life, 26 October 1907, p. 594-601).
The De la Bere family remained at Southam until 1821.