BY G. J. MORANT, CIRCA 1845

Details

TWO EARLY VICTORIAN OAK AND HOLLY OPEN BOOKCASES
By G. J. Morant, circa 1845
Each with a moulded cornice with two pine finials, the frieze and uprights inlaid with honeysuckle, flowerheads and acorns, fitted with two columns of five adjustable shelves with gilt-tooled scalloped leather dust-flaps, the lower section with a later oak shelf above an open divided and adjustable shelf, on a plinth base, each stamped twice 'G I MORANT 91 NEW BOND ST', each with original green marble shelf (one cracked and one in two pieces) sufficient to reinstate, with six additional pieces of marble of varying sizes, lacking one upper shelf on one bookcase, with three additional matching shelves of the same pattern but not the correct size
One: 119 in. (302.5 cm.) high; 83 in. (211 cm.) wide; 21 in. (53.5 cm.) deep
The other: 119 in. (302.5 cm.) high; 87¼ in. (122 cm.) wide; 22¼ in. (56.5 cm.) deep (2)

Provenance

Supplied to M. P. W. Boulton and by descent to
Major Eustace Robb, Tew Park, Great Tew, Oxfordshire, sold Christie's house sale, 27-29 May 1987, lot 163.

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis

Sale room notice

There are twelve pieces of marble of varying sizes, the largest piece measures: 87½ in. high; 14 in. wide (cracked in two pieces) plus eleven other pieces. As mentioned in the catalogue this pair of bookcases originally each had a green marble shelf at the waist, the twelve pieces of marble should be sufficient to reinstate these.

Lot Essay

The thyrsus-finialed bookcases, with marble-topped and open-shelved 'commode' bases, are designed in the antique style for execution in British woods, after the Regency fashion introduced by George Bullock following his first visit to Tew in 1815. The present bookcases, repeating Bullock's earlier design for Tew bookcases, were executed by G. J. Morant in the 1840s when the original Dining-Room was turned into a Study for M. P. W. Boulton (illustrated above)

More from Important English Furniture

View All