CIRCA 1630, POSSIBLY SALAMANCA, THE STAND PROBABLY ORIGINAL

Details

A SPANISH IRON-MOUNTED AND BONE-INLAID PARCEL-GILT WALNUT VARGUENO
CIRCa 1630, POSSIBLY SALAMANCA, THE STAND PROBABLY ORIGINAL
Overall with pierced iron mounts and red velvet panels, the sides with carrying handles, the fall-front with elaborate locking device concealing an architectural interior fitted with thirteen variously-sized drawers and two doors, the base with a slide to each side with fire-branded monogram HR, on spirally-turned supports
146 cm. high x 106 cm. wide x 42 cm. deep

Special notice

Christie’s charges a premium to the buyer on the Hammer Price of each lot sold at the following rates: 29.75% of the Hammer Price of each lot up to and including €20,000, plus 23.8% of the Hammer Price between €20,001 and €800.000, plus 14.28% of any amount in excess of €800.000. Buyer’s premium is calculated on the basis of each lot individually.

Lot Essay

The present lot is comparable to the vargueño in the Victoria & Albert Museum, illustrated in C. Wilk, Western Furniture. 1350 to the present day, London, 1996, p. 54-55. The Vargueño or escritorio, was the most important contribution to the Western furniture tradition from Spain. These travelling writing cabinets originated in the early 16th century, and were originally adorned with the moresque or Mudejar style ornamentation. After 1552 under the influence of Fransisco de Villapando's translation of Sebastiano Sarlio's treatise L'Architectura the decorative scheme became more classical, typical features of which are the broken arched cornice, collumns and general architectural design of the fitted interior.
Comparable vargueños were sold at Christie's London, 10 November 2005, lot 105, and Christie's, New York, 25-26 September 2001, lot 213.
Another one is illustrated in C. Wilk, Western Furniture. 1350 to the present day, London, 1996, p. 54-55.

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