Lot Essay
G. Coxed and T. Woster traded from c. 1690 until 1736, when Thomas Woster died. They specialised in the making of bureaux and bureau-cabinets, the first recorded bureau being produced in 1693.
Coxed and Woster are often associated with so-called 'mulberry' furniture - furniture veneered in maple or alder stained to resemble tortoiseshell, so producing a rich golden tone. The use of pewter inlay often appeared in their earlier work.
Although Coxed and Woster were in production until 1736, the majority of their 'mulberry wood' furniture was produced between circa. 1690 and circa. 1720, the rich appearance of the 'mulberry' being in keeping with the tastes of the time for lavish-looking materials (M. Riccardi-Cubitt, 'Round the Mulberry Bush', Antique Collector, March 1996, pp. 80-85).
A similar bureau of stained burr-elm, by repute from the Earls Poulett, Hinton, Somerset, was sold anonymously in these Rooms, 26 June 1986, lot 97.
Coxed and Woster are often associated with so-called 'mulberry' furniture - furniture veneered in maple or alder stained to resemble tortoiseshell, so producing a rich golden tone. The use of pewter inlay often appeared in their earlier work.
Although Coxed and Woster were in production until 1736, the majority of their 'mulberry wood' furniture was produced between circa. 1690 and circa. 1720, the rich appearance of the 'mulberry' being in keeping with the tastes of the time for lavish-looking materials (M. Riccardi-Cubitt, 'Round the Mulberry Bush', Antique Collector, March 1996, pp. 80-85).
A similar bureau of stained burr-elm, by repute from the Earls Poulett, Hinton, Somerset, was sold anonymously in these Rooms, 26 June 1986, lot 97.