Lot Essay
A cabinet with nearly identical interior is in the collection of the Hispanic Society of America and illustrated in G. Hardendorff Burr, Hispanic Furniture, New York, 1964, pp. 146-147, cat. S46, fig. 137.
THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN
A SPANISH GILTMETAL-MOUNTED WALNUT AND GRAINED IVORY-MOUNTED EBONISED AND PARCIL-GILT VARGUENO-ON-CHEST
THE VARGUENO 19TH CENTURY, THE BASE 17TH CENTURY
Details
A SPANISH GILTMETAL-MOUNTED WALNUT AND GRAINED IVORY-MOUNTED EBONISED AND PARCIL-GILT VARGUENO-ON-CHEST
The vargueno 19th Century, the base 17th Century
The top with silk-backed pierced ormolu medallions, the fall-front enclosing to the reverse a red baize-lined writing-surface and a fitted interior with thirteen variously-sized architectural-fronted drawers with spirally-turned detached columns flanking a trellis-pattern field and with two doors and three concealed drawers, the lower section with two short drawers with a panelled field inlaid with shaped medallions with animals and flowers, above two conforming doors, all framed by a geometric pattern and on later block feet, losses to silk, the top of the lower section inscribed in ink 'Spanish Cabinet No 2 Lower portion (Sir John Crampton)' and the key to the lower section with cloth inscribed in ink 'the lower part of ... of the Spanish Cabinet no 2 sent to London 24 May 1881'
42½ in. (108 cm.) wide; 57½ in. (146 cm.) high; 16½ in. (42 cm.) deep
The vargueno 19th Century, the base 17th Century
The top with silk-backed pierced ormolu medallions, the fall-front enclosing to the reverse a red baize-lined writing-surface and a fitted interior with thirteen variously-sized architectural-fronted drawers with spirally-turned detached columns flanking a trellis-pattern field and with two doors and three concealed drawers, the lower section with two short drawers with a panelled field inlaid with shaped medallions with animals and flowers, above two conforming doors, all framed by a geometric pattern and on later block feet, losses to silk, the top of the lower section inscribed in ink 'Spanish Cabinet No 2 Lower portion (Sir John Crampton)' and the key to the lower section with cloth inscribed in ink 'the lower part of ... of the Spanish Cabinet no 2 sent to London 24 May 1881'
42½ in. (108 cm.) wide; 57½ in. (146 cm.) high; 16½ in. (42 cm.) deep
Provenance
Sir John Crampton.