Stunning 1700s crown pediment found in Normandy, France. Found along with other church pieces, this hand-carved gilt wooden piece was most likely part of a pulpit canopy. Before the advent of microphones and speakers, orators would often address assemblies from elevated platforms known as “wine glass pulpits”. These podiums featured domed roofs called abat-voix, also known as sounding boards, that projected sound outward. This piece would have been attached to the abatvoix or hung with drapery flowing down from the inside of the crown.
We also speculated that it could have been a canopy bed crown, but given where it was found, what it was with it, the crown's interior, and what the antique dealer told us, it came from a church. However, it would make a stunning canopy bed crown. It measures 11" x 4" x 4.5". A superior piece of architectural craftsmanship for sure.
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