THE DOOR PANELS BY HENRY CLAY

細節

A PAIR OF REGENCY BLACK AND GILT-JAPANNED CHIFFONIERS
The door panels by Henry Clay
Decorated overall with Chinoiserie scenes, each with a breakfront simulated porphyry scagliola top, and lobed, panelled cresting with mirrored shelves and simulated bamboo supports, one above a removable panelled frieze and a pair of doors and one incorporating the frieze in the doors, each enclosing a removable shelf flanked by shelved recesses to each side, on inverted acroteria feet, each with stamp to inside door panel 'CLAY KING ST COVT GARDEN', differences to the frieze
63 in. (160 cm.) wide; 70 in. (178 cm.) high; 15½ in. (39.5 cm.) deep (2)

來源

Supplied to Windham Henry, 2nd Earl of Dunraven (d. 1850) for Adare Manor, Co. Limerick, Ireland.
Thence by descent until sold by the Earl and Countess of Dunraven, Adare Manor, Co. Limerick, Christie's house sale, 9 June 1982, lot 297.

拍品專文

The present piece, marked 'CLAY KING ST COVT GARDEN' is from the later period of Henry Clay's London business (i.e. after 1801 but possibly before 1822 when Clay's business in London closed down. Henry Clay was apprenticed to John Baskerville in Birmingham from 1740-49 and in 1772, Clay took out a patent for a 'new Improved Paper-ware', a form of papier-mâché that he claimed could be 'sawn, planed, dove-tailed or mitred in the same manner as if made in wood'. This extremely hard from of papier-mâché was so durable that it could withstand the stresses involved in japanning. By 1792 Clay was styling himself 'Japanner to His Majesty' and by 1803 could call himself 'Japanner in Ordinary to His Majesty and to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales'. Although the general public knew him best for his smaller objects and in particular his tea-trays, he supplied various pieces of furniture to the Royal Household including in May 1793, a sedan chair for Queen Charlotte decorated with copies of Guido paintings, and console tables similarly finished.