A ROMAN EBONY, IVORY AND MOTHER-OF-PEARL INLAID MARQUETRY WRITING-CABINET, by G-B Gatti, the engraving by P Graffi, the pierced cresting with scrolling acanthus and foliate arabesques centred by the Hamilton Crest, between confronting chimerae, the rounded rectangular top inlaid with foliate arabesques and a central griffin with moulded frieze, above a pair of doors inlaid with floral bouquets within foliate panelled borders and between engaged columns, enclosing a fitted burr-walnut-lined interior with fourteen variously- sized sycamore-lined drawers grouped around a central niche and two flanking pigeon-holes, the inside of the doors with polychrome ribbon-tied floral bouquets within a mother-of-pearl and amboyna border, the sides inlaid with similar grotesque arabesques with central portrait medallions of poets, the reverse with similar floral sprays with a border centred by panels depicting Romulus and Remus and with further portrait medallions to the angles, the lower section with rounded rectangular top inlaid with an angel flanked by portrait medallions of Dante and a further poet, above a green velvet-lined writing-slide and an amboyna-lined fitted frieze drawer with central scallop-shell, upon lion-mask headed, lyre-shaped end-supports with pierced central foliage upon a shaped plinth inlaid with a central scallop-shell depicting with a cat and her kitten, on moulded block feet with remains of label HAMILTO..., the marquetry signed Perniè Graffi and with trade label of GIO.BATTISTA GATTI, circa 185543¼in. (110cm.) wide; 66¼in. (168.5cm.) high; 25¾in. (65.5cm.) deep

THE PROPERTY OF A NOBLEMAN

A ROMAN EBONY, IVORY AND MOTHER-OF-PEARL INLAID MARQUETRY WRITING-CABINET, by G-B Gatti, the engraving by P Graffi, the pierced cresting with scrolling acanthus and foliate arabesques centred by the Hamilton Crest, between confronting chimerae, the rounded rectangular top inlaid with foliate arabesques and a central griffin with moulded frieze, above a pair of doors inlaid with floral bouquets within foliate panelled borders and between engaged columns, enclosing a fitted burr-walnut-lined interior with fourteen variously- sized sycamore-lined drawers grouped around a central niche and two flanking pigeon-holes, the inside of the doors with polychrome ribbon-tied floral bouquets within a mother-of-pearl and amboyna border, the sides inlaid with similar grotesque arabesques with central portrait medallions of poets, the reverse with similar floral sprays with a border centred by panels depicting Romulus and Remus and with further portrait medallions to the angles, the lower section with rounded rectangular top inlaid with an angel flanked by portrait medallions of Dante and a further poet, above a green velvet-lined writing-slide and an amboyna-lined fitted frieze drawer with central scallop-shell, upon lion-mask headed, lyre-shaped end-supports with pierced central foliage upon a shaped plinth inlaid with a central scallop-shell depicting with a cat and her kitten, on moulded block feet with remains of label HAMILTO..., the marquetry signed Perniè Graffi and with trade label of GIO.BATTISTA GATTI, circa 1855 43¼in. (110cm.) wide; 66¼in. (168.5cm.) high; 25¾in. (65.5cm.) deep

Details

A ROMAN EBONY, IVORY AND MOTHER-OF-PEARL INLAID MARQUETRY WRITING-CABINET, by G-B Gatti, the engraving by P Graffi, the pierced cresting with scrolling acanthus and foliate arabesques centred by the Hamilton Crest, between confronting chimerae, the rounded rectangular top inlaid with foliate arabesques and a central griffin with moulded frieze, above a pair of doors inlaid with floral bouquets within foliate panelled borders and between engaged columns, enclosing a fitted burr-walnut-lined interior with fourteen variously- sized sycamore-lined drawers grouped around a central niche and two flanking pigeon-holes, the inside of the doors with polychrome ribbon-tied floral bouquets within a mother-of-pearl and amboyna border, the sides inlaid with similar grotesque arabesques with central portrait medallions of poets, the reverse with similar floral sprays with a border centred by panels depicting Romulus and Remus and with further portrait medallions to the angles, the lower section with rounded rectangular top inlaid with an angel flanked by portrait medallions of Dante and a further poet, above a green velvet-lined writing-slide and an amboyna-lined fitted frieze drawer with central scallop-shell, upon lion-mask headed, lyre-shaped end-supports with pierced central foliage upon a shaped plinth inlaid with a central scallop-shell depicting with a cat and her kitten, on moulded block feet with remains of label HAMILTO..., the marquetry signed Perniè Graffi and with trade label of GIO.BATTISTA GATTI, circa 1855
43¼in. (110cm.) wide; 66¼in. (168.5cm.) high; 25¾in. (65.5cm.) deep

Provenance

William, 11th Duke of Hamilton and by descent to
William, 12th Duke of Hamilton.
Sold by Christie's at the 1882 sale of the Hamilton Palace Collection, lot 1186, and was purchased by Mr. W.H. Tuck for (441

Further details

END OF SALE

Lot Essay

This bureau-cabinet is modelled on the spectacular exhibition piece, that was manufactured in Rome by Giovanni Battista Gatti (1816-89), cabinet maker and specalist inlayer, for display at the 1855 Paris International Exhibition, and commissioned by the American connoisseur Mr. Wright Post. Gatti's achievement in gaining the First class medal in the furniture section of the Exhibition is recorded on a label pasted inside this bureau and bearing a medallion of Emperor Napoleon III. Both bureau feature the trestle-ended base with bacchic lion-head capitals and the arabesque inlay, centred by the dolphin-supported 'scallopshell' badge of Venus; but, whereas the '1855 Paris Exhibition' cabinet's doors display flower-vases in the 17th century Florentine style, they are replaced here by oval medallions with rose-centred flower-posies. This bureau is also inlaid with medallions of celebrated Italian poets and is surmounted by a rich cresting, which incorporates the Hamilton crest. The cabinet was commissioned by William, 11th Duke of Hamilton (d. 1863), who inherited Hamilton Palace, Lanarkshire in 1852. It was, no doubt, intended as a present for his Duchess, Princess Mary of Baden, a cousin of Napoleon III, who had played a leading role in promoting the Paris 1855 Exhibition.

For comparision of the 1855 Paris Exhibition cabinet, see C. Payne, 19th Century European Furniture, Woodbridge, 1985, pp. 159 and 441.

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