A George II Irish mahogany secretaire cabinet in the manner of Christopher Hearn
52
A George II Irish mahogany secretaire cabinet
in the manner of Christopher Hearn
The upper part with a broken swan neck pediment with carved flowerhead and terminals and centred by a carved eagle, above a pair of fielded panel doors enclosing a fitted interior of adjustable shelves, eight pigeon holes and four short drawers above a pair of candle slides, the lower part with a rectangular top and rounded corners above a secretaire drawer fitted with nine pigeon holes and five drawers, above a central kneehole and a cupboard door enclosing a shelf flanked by six graduated drawers on bracket feet, 101cm wide, 59cm deep, 231.5cm high (39.5" wide, 23" deep, 91" high).
Sold for £31,250 inc. premium

Footnotes

  • A related mahogany secretaire cabinet attributed to Christopher Hearn was recorded by Lady Elizabeth Cobbe at Newbridge House, Donabate, Co. Dublin in her account book of 1764 and is referred to as a 'bureau with Glass Doors 11.17.6. The Newbridge cabinet is illustrated in The Knight of Glin and J.Peil, Irish Furniture, Yale 2007, p.120, pl.163. Glin and Peil identify a small group of cabinets into which the Newbridge Cabinet fits including one at Adare Manor, Co.Limerick possibly made for Windham Quin (d.1789) which is discussed in The Knight of Glin and J.Hardy, The Adare Bureau-Cabinet and its Origins, Irish Arts Review, 1996, pp.168-169 and another at Birr Castle, Co.Offaly. Other examples that have past through the salerooms include that from the collection of Sir William Fitzherbert believed to have been brought to Tissington Hall by George 'Fighting' Fitzgerald (d.1786) and left at the hall in lieu of monies owed and sold from the collection of Sir William Fitzherbert, Christie's London, 22 January 2009, lot 515. Another related cabinet was sold by the Reverend G.R Dampier-Bennett sold Sotheby's London, 19 April 1974, lot 67 and another at Christie's London, 4 July 1985, lot 93.

Category: Furniture / English Furniture and Works of Art

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