Bonhams 1793 : A William and Mary small scarlet japanned cabinet on a carved giltwood stand

Bonhams magazines

My Bonhams

Advanced search

6 Mar 2013 14:00 GMT London, New Bond Street
Fine English Furniture
Back to auction 20741

A William and Mary small scarlet japanned cabinet on a carved giltwood stand

Heightened with gilt chinoiseries of fishermen, pagodas and flowers, the rectangular top above a pair of doors with gilt brass pierced strap hinges and clasped corners enclosing a similarly decorated interior with an arrangement of eleven small drawers; the stand with a pierced scrolling leaf carved apron centred by a figure of Fortitude with a lion, with shell and scroll carved sides on cabriole acanthus leaf and flowerhead carved legs and scroll feet, 82cm wide, 51cm deep, 135cm high (32" wide, 20" deep, 53" high).

Sold for £43,250 inc. premium

Footnotes

Provenance: Sir James and Lady Leigh-Wood, 24 Great Cumberland Place, London.
Thence to the present owner.

A water colour depicting the drawing room at the above address records the present lot in situ and bears the inscription " Library at 24 Great Cumberland Place, London. The Home of Sir James and Lady Leigh-Wood destroyed by enemy action on the night of 15th-16th October 1940."

A closely related small 'Queen Anne Scarlet Japan' cabinet on carved silvered stand from the collection of J. S. Sykes Esq., is illustrated in R.W. Symonds Masterpieces of English Furniture and Clocks 1940, p. 92, col. pl. VII. A further comparable black Japanned cabinet on a similar carved stand which also appears to be of rare small proportions, is recorded from the National Trust's collection at Chastleton House (see Adam Bowett English Furniture 1660-1714 From Charles II to Queen Anne, 2002, p.156, pls. 5:16 and 5:17.

The Lacquered objects and screens brought back to Europe by the East India Company in the late 17th century created a demand for larger, more practical objects which shared the same highly colourful and decorative surfaces of their Eastern counterparts. In order to try and recreate the rich and highly finished effect of oriental lacquer work, European cabinet makers turned to John Stalker and George Parker's 1688 Treatise of Japanning and Varnishing which soon became a key reference work, since it contained not only recipes for producing the various different colours but also patterns of Chinese figures, plants and gardens which could be adapted as necessary. European 'Japanning' was popular until the end of the eighteenth century, and was often used in bedroom apartments in the decoration of mirrors on stands and various cabinets such as the present example.

Category: Furniture / English Furniture and Works of Art

Auction terms and conditions