Narrow Tuscan Italian Wooden Bench with Stretcher from the Early 19th Century

A long Italian wooden bench with stretcher and sides from the 19th century. This narrow wooden Tuscan bench from the early 19th century features a stretcher and a rectangular seat. This seat is inserted in groves in the sides, and has knuckles that protrude through holes in the sides. The knuckles are in turn secured to the side by narrow vertical wood inserts, providing excellent strength. Below the seat sits a vertical stretcher similarly secured to the sides. The sides are slightly carved at their tops and have a spade shape cut from the middle of each. The bottoms are carved to present two angled feet. The wood used for this bench is quite dark, giving it a sobriety and elegance to add to its functionality. This substantial bench from the Tuscan region of Italy, circa 1820, would make a great addition to any living room whether used for sitting or displaying books or decorative objects like pillows.