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A DUTCH SATINWOOD, TULIPWOOD, SYCAMORE, BLACK AND GILT-LACQUER AND RED AND GILT-JAPANNED KLAP-BUFFET

LATE 18TH CENTURY, THE BLACK LACQUER PANELS JAPANESE LATE 17TH EARLY 18TH CENTURY, THE RED-JAPANNED PANEL EUROPEAN

Details

A DUTCH SATINWOOD, TULIPWOOD, SYCAMORE, BLACK AND GILT-LACQUER AND RED AND GILT-JAPANNED KLAP-BUFFET
Late 18th Century, the black lacquer panels Japanese late 17th early 18th Century, the red-japanned panel European
The canted rectangular quarter-veneered hinged top above a simulated fluted frieze, enclosing a mahogany-lined interior with two circular wells, above three panelled doors, the central one with birds and a branch, the side doors with cliffs, each enclosing a drawer, the sides each with a simulated upper drawer, diagonally veneered, on square tapering legs headed by pinched necks and Regency mounts, on bun feet, altered presumably in the Regency period to include a washstand top when the original side drawers were turned into simulated drawers, the red and gilt-japanned central panel and the internal drawers and fitments of later date
36 in. (91.5 cm.) high; 62½ in. (159 cm.) wide; 25¾ in. (65. 5 cm.) deep

Provenance

Almost certainly bought by Thomas, 2nd Marquess of Bath (1765-1837) for Longleat, Wiltshire and by descent at Longleat.

Literature

1869 Inventory, The Dowager's Sitting Room, 'An inlaid Cabinet with panels of Japan lacquer with rising top forming a washstand with fittings'.
1896 Inventory (2nd Marquess' Heirlooms), f 122 r The Dowagers Rooms Sitting Room, 'A 5 ft 2 in satinwood tulip and ebonised banded cabinet washstand with lift up top red and black lac japan panels on squared shaped legs, gilt ormolu rosettes'.

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

This klapbuffet, which was intended for the display of glass, silver items and china, was conceived during the last phase of the development of Dutch neo-classical furniture, between circa 1780 and 1795. A new type of marquetry became fashionable, with a distinctive preference for light woods, such as satinwood and sycamore, which harmonised with the symplified geometric motifs. This type of marquetry relates to that produced in England and was probably inspired by the engraved furniture designs by Hepplewhite and Sheraton, published respectively in 1788 and 1794, which were undoubtedly a valuable source of inspiration to Dutch furniture-makers.

It is interesting that during this English-inspired phase of marquetry furniture, Dutch cabinet-makers often enriched their pieces with panels of Japanese or Chinese lacquer or japanning. Reinier Baarsen has suggested that this decoration may have been a speciality of cabinet-makers working in The Hague and may have been developed by the celebrated cabinet-maker Matthijs Horrix (1735-1809), who supplied Princess Wilhelmina of Prussia, consort of Stadholder Prince William V, with ...Comodes wozu ihm Chinesisch Lackwerk geliefert, as early as 1780, for which he received 557 florins (R.J. Baarsen, ''In de commode van Parijs tot Den Haag', Matthijs Horrix (1735-1809), een meubelmaker in Den Haag in de tweede helft van de 18de eeuw', Oud Holland 107 (1993), p. 176)

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