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Lot Essay
The cabinet on stand is japanned in imitation of valuable Chinese lacquer wares as promoted by Messrs Stalker and Parker's Treatise of Japanning and Varnishing, 1688. It relates closely to a cabinet at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, which was formerly in the collection of Lord Hill at Hardwick Grange, Hawkstone, Shropshire, and later William Randolph Hearst (d. 1951) (W.20:1 to 16-1959). The pierced cresting and stand on both examples have much in common; the carved cresting of panier with flowers above strapwork, acanthus foliage and birds flanked by classical urn finials, and the carved stand with six legs of pierced, rectangular baluster form, suggesting the design derives from the same printed source or even that they were made by the same craftsman.
The japanned panel doors on the cabinet also have comparable fine gilt painted borders, and the gilt metal mounts are virtually identical.
Other analogous cabinets on stand include one illustrated in C. Gilbert, Furniture at Temple Newsam House and Lotherton Hall, vol. I, Leeds, 1978, no. 35, and another at Saltram, Devon (A. Bowett, English Furniture 1660-1714 From Charles II to Queen Anne, Woodbridge, 2002, pl. 5:33).
The survival of the cresting is noteworthy in itself as relatively few survive, and the present example retains its original silvered decoration under later gilding. A similar cabinet with silvered cresting and stand was sold anonymously Christie's, London, 19 November 2009, lot 20 (£22,500 including premium).
The japanned panel doors on the cabinet also have comparable fine gilt painted borders, and the gilt metal mounts are virtually identical.
Other analogous cabinets on stand include one illustrated in C. Gilbert, Furniture at Temple Newsam House and Lotherton Hall, vol. I, Leeds, 1978, no. 35, and another at Saltram, Devon (A. Bowett, English Furniture 1660-1714 From Charles II to Queen Anne, Woodbridge, 2002, pl. 5:33).
The survival of the cresting is noteworthy in itself as relatively few survive, and the present example retains its original silvered decoration under later gilding. A similar cabinet with silvered cresting and stand was sold anonymously Christie's, London, 19 November 2009, lot 20 (£22,500 including premium).