Carved Walnut Spanish Armorial Charger, Arms of the Catholic Monarchs, c. 1930

A carved walnut wall charger depicting the arms of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, the heraldry of Ferdinand and Isabella. The quartered shield combines the castles of Castile, the rampant lions of Leon, the red pales of Aragon, and the saltire fields of Aragon-Sicily, with the whole shield carried by the displayed eagle of Saint John and topped by an open royal crown. The shield fields are hand painted in red, cream, and gold against the carved walnut ground. The arms themselves date to the late fifteenth century, when the marriage of Ferdinand and Isabella united the Spanish crowns. This plaque is a twentieth century decorative carving of that historic device, made in Spain for display.

[d]Type | Carved wall charger

[d]Material | Walnut, hand carved and hand painted

[d]Subject | Arms of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain

[d]Origin | Spain

[d]Age | Circa 1920 to 1940

[d]Style | Spanish Revival, armorial

[d]Size | 11.75" diameter x 1" deep

[d]Hanging | Single iron screw eye on the reverse

[condition]

The charger is in good vintage condition with honest age-appropriate wear. The carving is crisp and the painted heraldry survives well, with the red, cream, and gold fields of the shield clearly legible and only light rubbing to the paint in places. There is a single drying crack running through the central well, visible on both the front and the reverse, which is stable and consistent with the natural movement of a solid walnut panel over time. The flat rim shows scattered surface marks, light scratches, and a few small dark spots consistent with age and handling. A single iron screw eye is fitted to the reverse for hanging and shows light rust. The piece is structurally sound and ready to hang.