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THE PROPERTY OF THE LATE 7TH EARL OF MACCLESFIELD SOLD BY ORDER OF THE EXECUTOR (LOTS 19-27)

AN ITALIAN CEDAR AND POKERWORK COFFER

MID-17TH CENTURY, VENICE

Details

AN ITALIAN CEDAR AND POKERWORK COFFER
MID-17TH CENTURY, VENICE
The rectangular moulded top with a central figure of a declaiming gentleman flanked by rustic scenes and with conforming figures at each end, within trellis borders, the front with three panels, the central panel depicting a harvest scene, the left panel depicting Ceres and with tablet inscribed GVSTVS, the right panel with seated deity, with tablet inscribed TACTVS, divided by gentlemen in niches, surmounted by playing putti, the central panel surmounted by lions, the lower edge with scrolling foliage, the end panels with scenes of country folk set within scrolling foliate borders, on a moulded plinth, the angle mouldings replaced, formerly with further mouldings
28 in. (71 cm.) high; 75 in. (190.5 cm.) wide; 28½ in. (72.5 cm.) deep

Provenance

Possibly Thomas Parker (1811-1896), 6th Earl of Macclesfield, Shirburn Castle, who in 1842 married (as his 2nd wife) Lady Mary Frances Grosvenor, and by descent at Shirburn.

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

Such cypress or cedar chests, incised in bas relief and pyrographically engraved, have long been associated with Venice. The 'cypress chests' containing 'arras, counterpoints, costely apparel, tents, and canopies, fine linen, Turkey cushions ... pewter and brass, and all things that belong to house of house-keeping' are mentioned in Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. One such cypress chest, filled with bed-hangings, was listed in the 1626 Inventory of Cockesden (P. Thornton, 'Two problems', Furniture History, 1971, p. 68).
The figures of Abundance in Paradise, emblematic of Taste, and that of Touch derive from Flemish engravings emblematic of the Senses issued by Adriaen Collaert (d.1618) of Antwerp after Maarten de Vos (d.1603).
A group of related chests, surviving in English churches, are discussed by Charles Tracy, Continental Church Furniture in England, Woodbridge, 2001, pp. 142-157.

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