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Lot Essay
This rare pair of japanned tea tables with their elegant decoration 'beautified with several sorts of figures, such as flowers men, birds, trees, mountains and palaces' (Du Halde, Description de la Chine, 1735 translated by Brookes, 1741, vol. II p. 309) are conceived with the concertina action form of the mid to late Georgian period.
The tradition and popularity of lacquer work and the deployment of chinoiserie ornament had been on the ascendency since the first imports of such work arrived on European shores from China and the Far East during the late 17th century. European designs were published by Messrs. Stalker & Parker in 1688 in their comprehensive volume entitled A Treatise of Japanning and Varnishing and helped foster and inspire the development of Chinese lacquer's English and French counterpart techniques - those of japanning and vernis martin which grew in refinement in their own right throughout the 18th century.
The English technique deployed varnishes with a resin base similar to shellac and involved the application of several coats of varnish which were each heat-dried and polished. Stalker & Parker's volume provided an accomplished and complete set of 'recipes' for cabinetmakers eager to undertake such work.
The tradition and popularity of lacquer work and the deployment of chinoiserie ornament had been on the ascendency since the first imports of such work arrived on European shores from China and the Far East during the late 17th century. European designs were published by Messrs. Stalker & Parker in 1688 in their comprehensive volume entitled A Treatise of Japanning and Varnishing and helped foster and inspire the development of Chinese lacquer's English and French counterpart techniques - those of japanning and vernis martin which grew in refinement in their own right throughout the 18th century.
The English technique deployed varnishes with a resin base similar to shellac and involved the application of several coats of varnish which were each heat-dried and polished. Stalker & Parker's volume provided an accomplished and complete set of 'recipes' for cabinetmakers eager to undertake such work.