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Lot Essay
THE THOMAS WEEKS MUSEUM
This cabinet is one of approximately fifteen known closely related cabinets originating from the 'Weeks Museum' of Haymarket and to which the dial’s inscription relates. The museum, established c. 1797 contained various mechanical curiosities including ingenious clocks, self-playing organs, toys, animated spiders and birds of paradise.
THE 'WEEKS CABINETS'
Christopher Gilbert's has identified the present cabinet as one of eleven cabinets of 'standard' or 'variant' type, based on a cabinet now at Temple Newsam House, Leeds (see C. Gilbert, 'Some Weeks Cabinets Reconsidered', Connoisseur, May 1971). The cabinets were originally fitted with an automatic barrel organ in their lower section, which played twelve tunes. Only one extant cabinet retains its original organ.
THE ATTRIBUTION TO SIMSON
It has been possible to attribute the group, again on the basis of stylistic affinities linking the group, to the firm of George Simson, whose use of large panels of sabicu bordered by satinwood on certain pieces gives grounds for a firm attribution (C. Gilbert, Pictorial Dictionary of Marked London Furniture 1700-1840, Leeds, 1996, p. 422, fig. 840 & p. 50). Simson was established at 19 St. Paul's Church Yard by 1787 and traded as an upholder, cabinet-maker and undertaker until 1840.
This cabinet is one of approximately fifteen known closely related cabinets originating from the 'Weeks Museum' of Haymarket and to which the dial’s inscription relates. The museum, established c. 1797 contained various mechanical curiosities including ingenious clocks, self-playing organs, toys, animated spiders and birds of paradise.
THE 'WEEKS CABINETS'
Christopher Gilbert's has identified the present cabinet as one of eleven cabinets of 'standard' or 'variant' type, based on a cabinet now at Temple Newsam House, Leeds (see C. Gilbert, 'Some Weeks Cabinets Reconsidered', Connoisseur, May 1971). The cabinets were originally fitted with an automatic barrel organ in their lower section, which played twelve tunes. Only one extant cabinet retains its original organ.
THE ATTRIBUTION TO SIMSON
It has been possible to attribute the group, again on the basis of stylistic affinities linking the group, to the firm of George Simson, whose use of large panels of sabicu bordered by satinwood on certain pieces gives grounds for a firm attribution (C. Gilbert, Pictorial Dictionary of Marked London Furniture 1700-1840, Leeds, 1996, p. 422, fig. 840 & p. 50). Simson was established at 19 St. Paul's Church Yard by 1787 and traded as an upholder, cabinet-maker and undertaker until 1840.