20TH CENTURY

An open wine cooler of this pattern, mounted on wooden wheels and a plinth, was in the collection of Ralph Dutton, 8th Baron Sherborne, (d. 1985) at Hinton Ampner, Hampshire, and is illustrated in M. Jourdain and R. Fastnedge, Regency Furniture, London, rev. ed., 1965, p. 86, fig. 206. Dutton was assisted by the decorator Ronald Fleming (d. 1968) of Kelso Ltd. and their shared intention at Hinton Ampner was to recreate a traditional interior with a heavy dose of modernity, perhaps derived from the contemporary International Style in architecture. They drew on Regency and Empire furniture, which Dutton declared to be the most appropriate in spirit for modern English living: 'Regency decoration, with its whimsical touch of originality directly inspired by the Prince Regent, proves eminently suitable for modern living. Regency furniture accords well with our traditional architecture and can be combined with modern comforts'. It was this combination of bright modernity with sleek Regency furniture that prompted Osbert Lancaster to dub Fleming's style as 'Vogue Regency' (C. O'Brien, 'Ralph Dutton and Ronald Fleming at Hinton Ampner House', Apollo, April 1997, pp. 43-47 and M. Jourdain, 'Ralph Dutton's Collection of Regency Furniture', Country Life, 6 December 1946, pp. 1102-6).