Lot 43
A George II and later carved mahogany cabinet
Amended
20 November 2013, 14:00 GMT
London, New Bond StreetSold for £7,500 inc. premium
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A George II and later carved mahogany cabinet
Of architectural form, the arched pediment with carved corbels and dentil mouldings above paterae and leaf lappet borders, the entablature with graduated tiers of beaded mouldings, the pair of fielded panelled doors carved with ribbon-tied wheat and flowers on a punched ground, enclosing adjustable shelves with three small drawers below, the engaged fluted columns with corinthian capitals above a slightly projecting lower part with a slide and a pair of conforming carved fielded panel cupboard doors enclosing two short and three long drawers retaining the original brass handles, on bracket feet, the sides with two pairs of brass 'carrying' handles, with some adaptations, the carved panels embellished in the 19th century, 127cm wide, 66cm deep, 245cm high (50in wide, 25.5in deep, 96in high).
Footnotes
Provenance:
Sir Henry Wagner (1840-1926)of 13 Half Moon Street, Mayfair, London and 7 Belvedere Terrace, Brighton;
thence by descent to the current owner.
Henry Wagner was barrister and noted polymath who began to form a substantial collection in the 1860s. Wagner devoted a large part of his life to genealogical research, much of which focussed on British Hugenot families. Wagner was a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and a founding fellow of the Hugenot Society and a Director of the French Hospital. James Byam Shaw noted after reviewing the catalogue of Wagner's collection "Henry Wagner was a compulsive collector of ever sort of "antique" - wood carvings, ivories, cameos, enamels, glass, gems, everything that collectors value". He had made gifts to the National Gallery from 1912 and in 1924 allowed them to choose from his collection. They took 12 pictures from his collection, a number of which can be seen in the National Gallery's Sainsbury Wing.
The Wagner family were of German descent arriving in London in 1717. The family business was originally a successful hatters whose patrons included the Royal family and the British Army. The family became associated with the town of Brighton in the late 18th century after one of the Wagners married the daughter of Henry Mitchell, Vicar of Brighton. Henry Mitchell had been a tutor to the future Duke of Wellington and was a figure of some influence. The Wagner family funded the building of a group of churches in Brighton as well as the building of Belvedere Terrace as well as the Belvedere Mansion.
Saleroom notices
Please note that ongoing research has revealed that the cabinet was in fact acquired by Sir Anthony Wagner (1908-1995), and not Henry Wagner, probably in London during World War II when Sir Anthony worked at the War Office. Henry Wagner and Sir Anthony Wagner were cousins and maitained a close relationship despite their age difference. Henry virtually adopted Sir Anthony, and the two had a shared a passion for genealogy with Sir Anthony eventually becoming Garter Principal King of Arms. After his bequests to the National Gallery, Henry Wagner bequeathed his residual estate to Sir Anthony's parents.