Apter-Fredericks

Important 18th & 19th Century Antique Furniture

Regency

A Regency Carved Gilt-wood Wall Sconce
A Regency Mahogany Games Table Attributable to Gillows of Lancaster
A Regency Period Japanned Fire Bellows,
A Regency Period Dining Table by Gillow of Lancaster
A Pair of Regency Period Premier & Contra Partie Inlaid Cabinets
An Outstanding Nineteenth Century Chinese Lacquer Screen
A Regency Period Rosewood & Parcel-Gilt Side-Cabinet
A Unusual Pair of Regency Hall Chairs
A Regency Period Mahogany & Ebony Writing Table
An Early Regency Oval Mahogany Occasional Table
A Pair of Regency Period Rosewood & Ormolu Consoles
A Regency Period Ormolu Mounted & Brass Inlaid Rosewood Sofa Table
A Pair of Regency Period Amboyna & Brass Mounted Etageres with Simulated Marble Tops
A Pair of Regency Period Mahogany Curricle Bergeres
A George III Regency Period Drinking Table
A Regency Period Brass Tea Caddy
A Regency Period Painted Tole Basket with Pierced and Gilded Decoration
A Pair of Regency Parcel-Gilt Corner Shelves
An Unusual Regency Period Mahogany Cellaret
A Regency Period Convex Mirror with Chinoiserie Decoration
A Regency Period Day-Bed
A Regency Secretaire Breakfront Bookcase
A Pair of Regency Day Beds
A Fine Regency Period Chandelier
A Pair of Regency Period Candelabra of the Finest Quality & in Outstanding Condition
A Regency Period Giltwood and Ebonised Girandole Convex Mirror
A Pair of Regency Period Cut-Glass Candelabra
An Early Regency Period Cut Glass & Ormolu Chandelier
A Regency Period Rosewood Side Cabinet
An Important Pair of Regency Period Rosewood Side Cabinets
A Regency Period Amboyna and Brass Inlaid Sewing Table
A Rare and Unusually Large Early 19th Century Nodding Figure of a Chinaman Attributed to Giovanni Domenico Gianelli
A Superb & Very Rare Pair of Regency Period Carved Giltwood Mirrors
A Regency Period Mahogany Extending Dining Table
A Regency Period Rosewood & Ormolu Mounted Secretaire Cabinet
A Pair of Nineteenth Century Regency Penwork Tables
A Fine and Rare PAIR of Regency Period Rosewood End-Support Tables By Gillows
A Regency Period Carved Giltwood Convex Mirror
A Regency Period Hexagonal Brass Lantern
A Regency Period Rosewood Side Cabinet
A Regency Period Rosewood Tray
A Pair of Regency Period Curricle Chairs
A Rare Regency Rosewood and Parcel-Gilt Revolving Bookstand
A Pair of Regency Period Rosewood Console Tables
A Rosewood and brass mounted side table by John McLean
A Pair of Regency Period Cut Glass Lustres
A Regency Period Gilt, Ebonised and Decorated Wall Sconce
A Regency Period Hall Seat Attributed to George Bullock
An Important Regency Mahogany Sideboard With a Pair of Pedestals en Suite. Attributed to George Oakley
A George III Regency Period Convex Mirror by Thomas Fentham
An Unusual Regency Verre Eglomise Mirror

REGENCY

The Regency Period made a distinctive contribution to English furniture. Previous interest in capturing the spirit of antiquity was now expressed in a detail that surpassed that of earlier decades. Thomas Sheraton's two published works, the Cabinet Dictionary of 1803 and the Cabinet-maker, Upholsterer and General Artists' Encyclopaedia, which came out in parts from 1804 to 1806, show in detail the new trend for the Regency style.

Designs appeared in Britain for the first time that incorporated lion paw feet and other exotic animals onto the ends of Grecian scroll arms. The 1798 Battle of the Nile, fought between the French and the English, led by Rear-Admiral Horatio Nelson, was largely responsible for inspiring designs containing Egyptian elements as it established England as a Naval Supremacy in the final years of the Revolutionary Wars in France. Such designs were more archaeologically correct in following the excavated model than had been previously, inspiring furniture to be made with sphinx head finials and crocodiles supports. Nelson's increasing victories also led to furniture incorporating a number of marine elements, including anchors, cordage and dolphins.

A Regency Period Rosewood & Ormolu Mounted Secretaire Cabinet

A Regency Period Rosewood & Ormolu Mounted Secretaire Cabinet

Height: 86" 219cm
Width: 40" 102cm
Depth: 18" 46.5cm

The acroteria and apex cornice, which has an ormolu mounted laurel wreath, rests on a moulded cavetto cornice with lappeted ormolu band above a pair of geometrically glazed doors with brass glazing bars. The base with a slim secretaire drawer mounted with winged sea- lions and opening to reveal a writing surface flanked on either side by two rosewood veneered drawer. Below are two paneled cupboard doors mounted with ormolu shells and mouldings and inlaid with brass anthemions set on an ebony ground. To each side are ormolu mounted Egyptian terms which terminate in very unusual ebony shaped block feet.

English, Circa 1810

ATTRIBUTION
The overal form of the bookcase relates to a design by Sheraton as detailed below.

In addition, a bookcase in the Vicoria & Albert Museum, which is also related to a design in Sheraton's 'Cabinet-Maker, Upholsterer and General Artist's Encyclopedia', 1806, has the same glazing bars and terms with the same ormolu mounts on the volutes.

A number of the design features on the bookcase are familiar motifs employed by a number of makers, including the sea-lion mounts which are drawn from Thomas Hope, the Egyptian terms which can be seen on numerous designs by George Smith and the inlaid brass on an ebony ground which was employed by both George Oakley and George Bullock.

In terms of attributing this piece to a maker, it is likely that answer will be found in one of the more unusual features. Amongst these is the use of scallop shells which are very unusual for a piece of this period or the distinctive block feet, which although to be seen in designs by Thomas Sheraton, have yet to be found on a piece of documented furniture.

What we can determine is that the quality of the piece and the careful selection of materials indicate that it is likely to have been made in London by a cabinet maker of some standing for a client who could afford the very finest workmanship. It is our hope that with continued research, it will be just a matter of time before we can be more specific.

REFERENCE
Thomas Sheraton 'The Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer and General Artist's Encyclopaedia' 1804, pl 4.

Thomas Hope's Household Furniture and Interior Decoration 1807, plate IX