19TH CENTURY

細節

A Chinese Export monogrammed travelling desk
19th Century
Of rectangular shape, after a European prototype, the interior fitted with two velvet-lined plaques forming the writing slope, opening each to a section for documents, the top with a pair of square compartments fitted for glass ink bottles and two rectangular ones fitted with a lid and pen tray,the short ends applied with metal handles, one above a drawer, each side decorated with a lobed cartouche showing a river landscape, the top panel centred by the monogram CTY, reserved on a dotted ground with scattered foliage in gilt, some wear; and a number of documents relating to the owner of the desk, comprising a diary, certificates, letters of recommendation, letters and drawings
46.5cm. wide x 18cm. high x 24.5cm. deep

注意事項

Christie's charge a buyer's premium of 20% (VAT inclusive) for this lot.

拍品專文

The initials C.T.Y. in the monogram belong to Cornelis Thomas van Yzendoorn (1794-1839) who was a ship's doctor and made numerous voyages to the Far East which are described in his diary. At the back of his diary, he has drawn up a list of his personal belongings which includes recently purchased goods such as the travelling desk '... aangekogt 1819 ... te Canton ... een Schrijflessenaar... $5'. Among the documents, there are also eleven letters of recommendation, four certificates, six letters to his cousin Johanna Catarina Götte (1793-1851) whom he later married, and six pencil drawings of ships.

See illustration