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Lot Essay
A related dressing-table previously at Wentworth Woodhouse, Yorkshire and now in a private collection shares many of the distinctive common traits of Wright and Elwick - the Wentworth cabinet-maker. Both have bowfront doors below a frieze drawer and carrying-handles at the sides and both have the same pattern of heart-shaped handles. The choice of exotic timber is also characteristic of them. Elwick is known to have had oriental connections and even supplied 'India' (i.e. Chinese) paper to Wentworth Woodhouse. For a full discussion of The Wentworth cabinet-maker, see the introduction to lot 33, Edward Lennox-Boyd, Wentworth sale catalogue, Christie's, London, 8 July 1998.
This dressing-table is reputably from Denton Hall, seat of Sir John Ibbetson, Bt., a house only four miles from Otley, the birthplace of Thomas Chippendale (d. 1779). Payments to Chippendale amounting to £551 are recorded for the new house at Denton, built by John Carr of York and completed in 1778 (C. Gilbert, The Life and Work of Thomas Chippendale, vol. I., London, 1978, p. 286-7). Ibbetson may have been moved to employ Chippendale in the spirit of local pride, and presumably his architect, John Carr may also have steered Ibbetson toward Wright and Elwick, another Yorkshire firm of cabinet-makers.
This dressing-table is reputably from Denton Hall, seat of Sir John Ibbetson, Bt., a house only four miles from Otley, the birthplace of Thomas Chippendale (d. 1779). Payments to Chippendale amounting to £551 are recorded for the new house at Denton, built by John Carr of York and completed in 1778 (C. Gilbert, The Life and Work of Thomas Chippendale, vol. I., London, 1978, p. 286-7). Ibbetson may have been moved to employ Chippendale in the spirit of local pride, and presumably his architect, John Carr may also have steered Ibbetson toward Wright and Elwick, another Yorkshire firm of cabinet-makers.