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Lot Essay
This coffer, together with its pair, was specially ordered from China by Sir Francis Wyndham, Bt. of Trent, Somerset as it bears the Wyndham coat-of-arms. Wyndham, was M.P. for Cambridge from 1727 to 1741 at which time he became Lord Montfort, Baron of Horseheath. The pair of coffers came to Adare Manor through the marriage in 1810 of Caroline Wyndham to Windham Quin, later the 2nd Earl of Dunraven. Caroline was the daughter and sole heir to Thomas Wyndham of Dunraven Castle in Glamorganshire. Together they built and furnished Adare Manor through the 1830s and into the 1840s. It is amusing to note the inscription on the South front of the house which reads: 'This goodly house was erected by Windham Henry, Earl of Dunraven and Caroline his Countess without borrowing, selling or leaving a debt, AD MDCCCL'. The coffers remained at Adare Manor until sold as part of Christie's house sale in 1982.
This lacquer coffer is a remarkable survivor of early 18th century export furniture. It is particularly rare to find such a piece with the family coat-of-arms, obviously a prized special order. Another coffer of this form decorated with incised lacquer on similar cabriole legged stand from the collection of the Earls of Verulam, Gorhambury, Hertfordshire is illustrated in M. Jourdain and R.S. Jenyns, Chinese Export Art in the Eighteenth Century, Middlesex, 19850, p.86, fig.26.
This lacquer coffer is a remarkable survivor of early 18th century export furniture. It is particularly rare to find such a piece with the family coat-of-arms, obviously a prized special order. Another coffer of this form decorated with incised lacquer on similar cabriole legged stand from the collection of the Earls of Verulam, Gorhambury, Hertfordshire is illustrated in M. Jourdain and R.S. Jenyns, Chinese Export Art in the Eighteenth Century, Middlesex, 19850, p.86, fig.26.