2
THE ING ENUITY OF
CHIP PENDALE
A GEORGE III GILT-BRASS-MOUNTED
INLAID AND KINGWOOD BANDED FUSTI C
SECRETAIRE CABINET, CIRCA 1775
ATTRIBUTED TO THOMAS CHIPPENDAL
the upper section of breakfront form with fluted frieze, th
glazed side panels with astragal doors with re-entrant corn e
and carved disc motifs, the door with a moulded gilt-bras
oval hinged door enclosing three later adjustable shelve
with satinwood and ebony strung front edges, the revers
with later panelled rosewood back the lower section o
serpentine form enclosing a secretaire drawer fitted wit
pigeon holes and five small drawers and leather inset writin
surface above a pair of shaped doors inlaid with wreath
of husks and enclosing two later oak pull out slides, wit
scrolled and foliate cabochon mount
227cm
This fine cabinet, originally one of a pair demonstrates Thomas
Chippendale’s genius as a designer and his ability to both define,
and conform with, the current tastes.
Thus, having successfully
promoted his designs from the mid-1750s through contrasting
Gothic, Chinese and French tastes he naturally adopted the more
refined neoclassical ‘antique’ decoration of the late 1760s that
was furiously promoted by King George III, his Court architect
Sir William Chambers and Robert Adam.
The final decade of
Chippendale’s life culminated in what are arguably some of his
greatest commissions, such as those for Sir Edwin Lascelles at
Harewood House and Sir Rowland Winn at Nostell Priory and
his London house.
The serpentine form of the commode section
of the current cabinet slightly predates many of Chippendale’s
most celebrated neoclassical pieces, the rectilinear furniture at
Harewood, and the renowned commode supplied for Melbourne
House, London (now at Renishaw Hall, Derbyshire) in the early
1770s.
However, there are strong similarities in the design and
treatment of the marquetry to his documented commissions
which allow for the near certain attribution.
The design of the
gilt-lacquered brass mounts conforms identically to those on a
commode supplied by Thomas Chippendale to Sir Rowland Will
at Nostell Priory in 1770, whilst the ribbon-tied bellflower garlands
on the doors are very similarly conceived to those on the famous
dressing-commode supplied to Lascelles.
The commode supplied
by Chippendale for Lady Winn’s Bedchamber at Nostell Priory,
Yorkshire, displays similarly shaped crossbanded doors, with a
fustic ground a particularly difficult timber to work but one which
Chippendale adopted for the magnificence of the figuring.
high, 124.5cm.
wide, 58.5cm.
deep; 7ft 5¼in.,
4ft 1in.
1ft 11in.
PROVENANCE
James Christie, The Manor House, Framingham Pigot,
Norwich, England, a direct descendant of the founder of
Christie’s auction house, until 1959;
Patrick C.
Hall, Longford Hall, Shropshire, England, until 1966
with Hyde Park Antiques Inc.
New York, USA;
Private collection, USA;
with Hyde Park Antiques Inc.,
New York, USA.
LITERATURE
Arthur Bolton, The Architecture of Robert and James Adam,
1922, vol.
II, pp. 94–101
Christie, Manson & Woods, ‘Important English Furniture’, sal e
catalogue, 12 March 1959, pp.
17–20, lot 85.
Christopher Gilbert, The Life and Work of Thomas
Chippendale, 1978, vol.
II, p.
125, fig. 221
Judith Goodison, The Life and Work of Thomas Chippendale
Junior, 2017, pp.
264–72.
The construction of the current cabinet also relates to the well-
documented cabinets from Panshanger, Hertfordshire, England,
originally supplied by Chippendale to Lord Melbourne for his London
residence, Melbourne House.
The Panshanger cabinets employ
solid black rosewood as the main material for their door frames, a
very unusual and extravagant use of this exotic wood.
The current
cabinet similarly features doors made of black rosewood, which
were then veneered with fustic.
Interestingly the back boards of this
cabinet are also made of the same rosewood, suggesting that it was
intended not as a bookcase but to display items, with a beautiful
timber background to enhance their appearance.
‡ W £ 80,000-120,000
It is not entirely certain to which commission this cabinet and its pair
originally belong but research suggests that they were made around
1775 by the Chippendale firm possibly for No 5 Mansfield Street,
the London home of William Constable, and were subsequently
transferred to Burton Constable, his house in Yorkshire.
On
Constable’s death in 1791, it is possible that this cabinet was sold to
Burwood Park, Surrey, England, where documentation records an
alteration to a strikingly similar item, although it may have stayed at
Burton Constable for some time longer.
Buyers are liable to pay both the hammer price (as estimated above) an d the buyer’s premium together with any applicable taxes and Artist’s Resale Right
86
(which will depend on the individual circumstances).
Refer to the Buying at Auction and VAT sections at the back of this catalogue for further information.