A vaulted ceiling boss (c. 1400) Probably made for a church or even a cathedral, this boss stands ap

A vaulted ceiling boss (c. 1400)

Probably made for a church or even a cathedral, this boss stands apart from the majority of wooden ceiling bosses because it was designed as a load-bearing member, rather than just a decorative cap.

Its form is that of a stone boss. In its original location (the centre of a vaulted ceiling above chapel within a major church), it functioned as a “keystone” by locking together the intersecting ribs of a vault. The base of the boss is composed of coarse-grained oak that, although difficult to carve, is exceedingly strong.Four large mortises cut in moulded sockets around base once house the tenons at the end of the vault ribs.

Pined onto the base is a decorative cap composed of fine-grained oak and carved with an old testament prophet holding a scroll. 

This is one of the last bosses of it’s kind because by 1400 masonry and carpentry technology have made a step forward leaving bosses like this a thing of past.

This object is at an auction with a price tag of £4,950