CIRCA 1710

Details

A QUEEN ANNE SCARLET AND GILT-JAPANNED BUREAU-CABINET
CIRCA 1710
The arched broken pediment, surmounted by a gilt cartouche finial, above a pair of arched mirror panelled doors, enclosing a fitted interior of pigeonholes and a central bank of shelves over drawers, over a pair of candleslides, the fall front reversing to a red leather-lined writing surface and enclosing further fitments over two short and three long graduated drawers, on bracket feet, largely redecorated, hardware replaced, right mirrored panel possibly replaced
90½ in. (230 cm.) high, 39 in. (99 cm.) wide, 22½ in. (57 cm.) deep

Provenance

with Partridge, London, 1986.

Lot Essay

A similarly waisted bureau-cabinet with large-scale cell pattern reserves to the door surrounds and similar large-scale figural decoration is attributed to John Belchier (d. 1753), cabinet-maker at 'The Sun' in St. Paul's Churchyard, London. The cabinet is one of two supplied for John Meller, Queen Anne's Master in Chancery, for Erddig Castle in Wales. A 1726 inventory at Erddig lists a 'Red Japan Cabinate' in the 'Blew Mohair' bedroom, while the adjoining room featured the aforementioned black and gilt japanned example (illustrated in M. Drury, 'Early Eighteenth-Century Furniture at Erddig', Apollo, July 1978, pp. 52-53, pl. 11). Belchier worked extensively at Erddig (his bill covering November 1722 to January 1726 amounted to £262 12s).

Another similar cabinet with large shell motif to the cornice and reserves to the doors is illustrated in P. Macquoid, The Age of Walnut, London, 1905, p. 149, fig. 134.

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