Lot Essay
This bonheur-du-jour is as ornately decorated on the reverse as on the front.
John McLean (d. 1825) is recorded working at 58 Upper Marylebone Street from 1783 until his death in 1825. This bonheur-du-jour is very similar to one which was sold anonymously, Sotheby's London, 12 November 1982, lot 84, which had a printed label 'Manufactured and Sold by JOHN MCLEAN and SON, 58, Upper Mary-le-bone-Street, the end of Howland Street, Portland Place' (W. Rieder, 'Living with Antiques', The Magazine Antiques, June 1987, p. 1321, pl VIII). The label was used by McLean from 1815-1825. The present lot chiefly differs in having additional brass trellis doors to the front of the superstructure, and a folding leather-lined flap. It is also very similar to another bonheur-du-jour retaining the same label, illustrated in S. Redburn, 'John McLean and Son', Furniture History, 1978, pl. 38B and 31C (detail of label).
John McLean (d. 1825) is recorded working at 58 Upper Marylebone Street from 1783 until his death in 1825. This bonheur-du-jour is very similar to one which was sold anonymously, Sotheby's London, 12 November 1982, lot 84, which had a printed label 'Manufactured and Sold by JOHN MCLEAN and SON, 58, Upper Mary-le-bone-Street, the end of Howland Street, Portland Place' (W. Rieder, 'Living with Antiques', The Magazine Antiques, June 1987, p. 1321, pl VIII). The label was used by McLean from 1815-1825. The present lot chiefly differs in having additional brass trellis doors to the front of the superstructure, and a folding leather-lined flap. It is also very similar to another bonheur-du-jour retaining the same label, illustrated in S. Redburn, 'John McLean and Son', Furniture History, 1978, pl. 38B and 31C (detail of label).