Can anyone help with carved wood medieval?

I do know this is very old any ideas how old and the symbols or what it was for?

 

I have looked a little closer with a loop and this is some amber looking red orange material? Kind of translucent. Could it be amber??? And top hole could possibly be for skeleton key

 

How do you move threads obviously this is in the wrong section lol

 

I think it goes to deep to be a coating

 

It helps us if you tell us anything you already know, such as how you are sure it is very old & how/where you acquired it.

 

You tag a moderator & ask, but I think it is fine here. People who know wood furniture are the ones who may have something to say about this.

 

I'm rather sure that it was painted with the crests of either the principal cities or provinces of France.

 

I do know you should never clean antiques but I real want to clean this off to see what it is made of I do believe it is amber

 

I found this in a old house in the attic

 

Have you ever seen anything, no matter how old, in a museum display that was covered in dust like this? It matters how it is cleaned. It also matters if your intent is to sell it now or display it in your own home.

 

I do believe this is highly unlikely. So you are telling us that while the board that surrounds it is wood, the part that looks like carved decoration is made of something different, something that suggests amber?

It does not appear to have been stored with any care. If it were mine I would start by vacuuming out any loose dust using the brush attachment. You may not have that kind of vacuum, but seeing what will come off without the use of water or any kind of cleaning product is the place to start.

From what you have described so far, I will not be surprised if the 'carving' turns out to be molded resin (plastic).

 

@Bronwen so far past all tests of amber I believe the whole thing is carved amber no wood

 

@Bronwen I rubbed off some of the dirt it is caked on

 

Nice piece Crim, have you made sure there are no live woodworms in there?

It is highly unlikely that the whole thing or even part is amber. How much does it weigh? Does it float in salt water? Does it fluoresce in UV light?

It could have been coated and repaired with resin.

 

The way the outer part of the shield/cartouche is carved makes me think 1870s, not medieval.

 

I hadn't even seen that, I agree, not Medieval.

 

Agrees, not even close.

 

6 x 14 inches of carved amber.............................with woodworm holes....

???

Take it to a museum , right away......it could be the find of the century !!!

WOW !!!!

 

@komokwa is that you being sarcastic.......I thought you could do better then that boooooo.......try again come up with something more clever for the people.....so you can get some attention