Lot Essay
This richly-pearled jewel-chest or 'coffret' is gilt-framed with flowers and birds in fretted brass in the Louis XIV 'antique' manner, while its hollow-cornered tablets are nailed with irridescent leaves of mother-of-pearl and display medallioned 'lotus-flowers' in imbricated 'mosaic' compartments. The latter derive from Indian 17th Century articles thought to have been executed in Gujurat for the Portuguese market, and these include a plate that was silver-framed in London in 1620 and a games-table board that was incorporated into an early 19th Century Parisian table, exhibited at the Museo de Sao Roque, ('The Heritage of Rauluchantin', Exhibition Catalogue, 1996, p.134, p.136 fig.8 and p.142 fig.12). Related decoration also features on a centre table at Hatfield House, which was described as 'richlie inlaid with pearles' in the 1629 inventory (A. Coleridge, 'English Furniture and Cabinet-Makers at Hatfield House, circa 1600-1750', The Burlington Magazine, February 1967), as well as on two garnitures, one of which was exhibited from Chicheley Hall in the 'Treasure Houses of Britain', Exhibition Catalogue, Washington, 1984, no.99, whilst the other was sold by Mrs. Robert Tritton, Christie's house sale, Godmersham Park, Kent, 6-9 June 1983, lots 102-109.