Stock ref: DS1291

1981

A rare and sought after Cotswold School Arts and Crafts walnut magazine rack / canterbury by James Cleasby Dent ( 1920 – 2003) featuring the  wedged exposed tennon joints and joinery skills he acquired whilst working at the renowned Stanley Webb Davies workshop in Windermere, Cumbria. 

Clearly one of his later made pieces, it is initialled and dated by James  in typical SWD fashion and bears the twin acorn motif he adopted when he established his own workshop incised prominently to the centre of the piece.

The walnut wooden framework presents in superb condition with no faults or staining and has a lovely warm and rich depth of colour.

James was born into a farming family in Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria. Interested in woodwork from an early age he started working with Stanley Webb Davies as a fee paying student, later becoming an apprentice and then a fully qualified craftsman.  He worked at the SWD Gatesbield workshop until 1954, leaving to set up his own workshop in Ravenstondale near Kirkby Stephen, after his wife Kathleen took up a teaching post at the local village school. The church in Kirkby Stephen contains numerous examples of his work and Stanley himself in 1976 is recorded as remarking that he regarded his font cover in the church as ” a masterpiece”. Hugh Wright’s acclaimed biography on Stanley Webb Davies contains many references to James Dent (see especially p 102, 109-111) I highly recommend it  to those interested in learning more about  Stanley Webb Davies and his small team of talented craftsmen.

Size: 40(w) x 23(d) x 36(h)

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