Apter-Fredericks

Important 18th & 19th Century Antique Furniture

Rosewood

A Pair of Regency Period Premier & Contra Partie Inlaid Cabinets
A Regency Period Rosewood & Parcel-Gilt Side-Cabinet
A Pair of Regency Period Rosewood & Ormolu Consoles
A Regency Period Ormolu Mounted & Brass Inlaid Rosewood Sofa Table
A George III Collector's Cabinet
A Regency Period Rosewood Side Cabinet
An Important Pair of Regency Period Rosewood Side Cabinets
A Pair of Early Nineteenth Century Rosewood Etageres.
A Pair of George III Adam Period Rosewood Semi-Elliptical Console Tables
The Hinton House Commodes Attributed to Ince & Mayhew
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 George III Sycamore, Tulipwood Rosewood and Marquetry Pembroke Table
A Fine Pair of George III Satinwood Card Tables
A Regency Period Rosewood Side Cabinet
A Magnificent George III Inlaid Harewood & Serpentine Shaped Commode
A Regency Period Rosewood Tray
A Pair of Regency Period Curricle Chairs
A George III Mahogany and Cross-banded Barometer
A Rare Regency Rosewood and Parcel-Gilt Revolving Bookstand
A Pair of Regency Period Rosewood Console Tables
A Pierre Langlois Commode
A Rosewood and brass mounted side table by John McLean
A Regency Period Rosewood & Ormolu Mounted Secretaire Cabinet (Detail)

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