Lot Essay
This unusual walnut cabinet-on-chest has a central Roman triumphal arch and fluted pilasters on its cabinet, and an ingeniously conceived drawer, combining the lopers, on the lower part which is designed as a bachelor's chest. The superb quality of the piece, not only in its construction and choice of veneer, but also in its architectural design, points to the same cabinet-maker as the unusual bachelor's chest sold from the Parry Collection, in these Rooms, 24 April 1997, lot 270. The Parry bachelor's chest had the rare feature of a raised superstructure of four drawers, above a similar hinged top.
The collection of Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey Hart was begun at Wych Cross, Sussex and moved to 9 Hyde Park Gardens in 1946, after the death of Mr. Hart. Mrs. Hart was advised by R.W. Symonds in many of her purchases and indeed this cabinet is one of several pieces from the Hart Collection illustrated in Symonds' book Veneered Walnut Furniture 1660-1760, 1946. In the summer of 1956 her collection was exhibited at Brighton and in 1965 Clifford Musgrave devoted an article in The Connoisseur to it.
The collection of Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey Hart was begun at Wych Cross, Sussex and moved to 9 Hyde Park Gardens in 1946, after the death of Mr. Hart. Mrs. Hart was advised by R.W. Symonds in many of her purchases and indeed this cabinet is one of several pieces from the Hart Collection illustrated in Symonds' book Veneered Walnut Furniture 1660-1760, 1946. In the summer of 1956 her collection was exhibited at Brighton and in 1965 Clifford Musgrave devoted an article in The Connoisseur to it.