Lot Essay
A pattern for a related Grecian-pedimental cabinet with this glazing pattern was published by Thomas Sheraton in his The Cabinet-Maker, Upholsterer and General Artist's Encyclopaedia, 1804, pl.4 of Bookcases.
The French-style chimerae bronzes, in the manner of Messrs. Vulliamy, correspond to those on a library pier-commode bookcase which formed part of the furnishings supplied in 1806 by Messrs. Nicholas Morel and Robert Hughes of Gt. Marlborough Street to Orlando Bridgeman, 2nd Lord Bradford (d.1825) for Weston Park, Staffordshire, (M. Jourdain, Regency Furniture, 1795-1830, London, 1965, p.63, fig. 124 and P. Rogers 'A Regency Interior, The Remodelling of Weston Park', Furniture History, Leeds, 1987, p.22). In keeping with the nereid or water-nymph handles on the secretaire-drawer these winged sea-lions 'allusive to the liquid element' derived from those on a Grecian-corniced cellaret designed by Thomas Hope for his Duchess Street mansion/museum. The latter, which were probably executed by the French bronze founder de Caix featured in Hope's Household Furniture and Interior Decoration, London, 1807, pl.IX. Also on this Grecian-corniced cabinet the sea-lions drink from a fountain-tazza, which appeared on Hope's Grecian-corniced cheval dressing-glass (pl.XIV). The dressing-glass also featured palm-flowered trusses, such as support this cabinet.
The French-style chimerae bronzes, in the manner of Messrs. Vulliamy, correspond to those on a library pier-commode bookcase which formed part of the furnishings supplied in 1806 by Messrs. Nicholas Morel and Robert Hughes of Gt. Marlborough Street to Orlando Bridgeman, 2nd Lord Bradford (d.1825) for Weston Park, Staffordshire, (M. Jourdain, Regency Furniture, 1795-1830, London, 1965, p.63, fig. 124 and P. Rogers 'A Regency Interior, The Remodelling of Weston Park', Furniture History, Leeds, 1987, p.22). In keeping with the nereid or water-nymph handles on the secretaire-drawer these winged sea-lions 'allusive to the liquid element' derived from those on a Grecian-corniced cellaret designed by Thomas Hope for his Duchess Street mansion/museum. The latter, which were probably executed by the French bronze founder de Caix featured in Hope's Household Furniture and Interior Decoration, London, 1807, pl.IX. Also on this Grecian-corniced cabinet the sea-lions drink from a fountain-tazza, which appeared on Hope's Grecian-corniced cheval dressing-glass (pl.XIV). The dressing-glass also featured palm-flowered trusses, such as support this cabinet.