CIRCA 1775

Details

A GEORGE III PAKTONG AND IRON BASKET GRATE
CIRCA 1775
Serpentine form with pierced fluted frieze interspersed with floral medallions over a pierced entwined lower border, the bead-edged frame surmounted by four etched urn finials with Vitruvian scroll upper band, on turned legs cast with classical motifs, the iron fireback later
27 ½ in. (69.9 cm.) high, 30 in. (76.2 cm.) wide, 16 ½ in. (41.9 cm.) deep

Provenance

With T. Crowther & Son, London, 1988.
Property of a Private Collector; Sotheby's, New York, 21-22 October 1999, lot 409.
Anonymous sale; Sotheby's, New York, 22 October 2014, lot 50.
Acquired by Irene Roosevelt Aitken from the above.

Literature

COMPARATIVE LITERATURE:
A. Bonnin, Tutenag & Paktong, 1924.
W.D. John and K. Coombes, Paktong, 1970.

Exhibited

London, Grosvenor House Antiques Fair, 9-18 June 1988 (with Crowther), illustrated in the Handbook.

Conditions of sale

Brought to you by

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Lot Essay

Paktong, a name derived from the Chinese term meaning ‘white copper,’ is a rare, non-tarnishing alloy of copper with nickel and either tin or zinc. Its distinctive properties, which made it especially suitable for chimney furniture, were well recognized in 18th century Europe (A. Bonnin, Tutenag & Paktong, 1924, pp. 18-51). From about 1750, a limited number of objects, including grates, are known to have been produced in England in this material. Paktong appears to have been particularly favored by Robert Adam, whose name has been associated with the designs for several paktong grates, including the celebrated pair from Battle Abbey, complete with fenders and fire-irons (ibid., pls. II-IV), sold Christie’s, London, 19 November 1987, lot 60.

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