CIRCA 1820

Details

A REGENCY POLYCHROME-DECORATED AND PENWORK CABINET-ON-CHEST
CIRCA 1820
The rectangular cornice decorated with egg-and-dart above a frieze decorated with courtly figures on horseback in an arcaded gallery, above a pair of doors each depicting a Chinese dignitary on the left, depicted in a pavilion with birds and vases, on the right a female depicted below a pagoda with flowering tree with birds and branches within a florally-decorated border and between simulated columns, enclosing a fitted interior of drawers around a painted panel of a Chinese gardener, the sides with shaped square panels depicting Chinese figures in floral surrounds, each side panel sliding forward and enclosing seven drawers above a black painted, sycamore and simulated walnut chequered floor, the insides of the doors painted in monochrome with Chinese figures within floral decorated surrounds, above a base section with two mahogany-lined frieze drawers and a pair of doors, each depicting two Chinese figures before pagodas and enclosing a further fitted interior of six drawers decorated with exotic birds, around a shaped octagon with four long drawers and six short drawers with simulated parquetry drawer fronts around a conforming door enclosing a painted recess, the reverse of the doors also painted in monochrome with Chinese figures beneath pagodas, on simulated leaf-ebonised ball feet, the side panels with conforming monochrome decoration of Chinese figures in pagodas surrounded by folliage, minor refreshments to the decoration, the moulded cornice and possibly the columns replaced
77½ in. (197 cm.) high; 44½ in. (113 cm.) wide; 25½ in. (64.5 cm.) deep

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 masterpiece of the art of 'Painting on Wood and Fancy Work', as it was designated in R. Ackermann's Repository of Arts, 1817, can be attributed to the same hand as the 'Clifton' cabinet bearing the date 1821 and the inscription 'made by George Wimpear in the employ of Mr. Loudon'. Both cabinets with their Chinese vignettes framed in 'India' flowers may have been executed in Bristol. The latter, sold in these Rooms, 27 November 2003, lot 55, is discussed in C. Gilbert, Pictorial Dictionary of Marked London Furniture; 1700-1840, Leeds, 1996, fig. 578, p. 308.

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