LATE 18TH CENTURY, THE BASES LATER

The urns were discovered at Harewood House after the decision was taken around 1984 to tidy the Carpenter’s Store, where large amounts of disused woodwork and decoration, including dismantled picture frames and peripheral carving, lay neglected. The intention was to survey what was there and piece together 'dismembered schemes’ where possible. Overdoors and several pairs of magnificent mirrors were reassembled and reinstated where possible, and previously unrecorded items were rediscovered. This done, surplus items were sold at Harewood, Christie’s house sale, 3 October 1988.
The plaster neo-classical urns, relate to Chippendale’s commission at Harewood for Edwin Lascelles (d.1995), a project that commenced in 1767, and continued after Chippendale’s death in 1789. Chippendale’s work here was influenced by Robert Adam, whose Works in Architecture was first published in 1773 and contained designs for urns. Chippendale supplied a blue and white japanned bed for Harewood in 1769 – 70 which displayed similar swagged vases, and the sideboard pedestals supplied in 1771 were also surmounted by magnificent gilt brass mounted vases. The present lot relates most closely in design to the dining-room vases supplied for Paxton House, Berwickshire, which also feature a band of fluting, husk swags and side masks (C. Gilbert, The Life and Work of Thomas Chippendale, London, 1978, vol. II, p. 33, fig. 53, and p. 194, figs 352 and 353).