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Lot Essay
This impressive padouk secretaire-cabinet, enriched with striking and contrasting marquetry veneers, illustrates the seamless transition that occurs between furniture made in the mid-1770s by Chippendale, and the influence in the latter years of 1770s of his son, Thomas Chippendale Junior (1749-circa 1822).
The rectilinear form of this cabinet, with classical urns on the cornice, together with austere ornamentation in the gout grec style, recalls a set of built-in architectural bookcases supplied by Chippendale in circa 1773 for the library at Brocket Hall, Hertfordshire (1). The pedimented version of these bookcases also includes a near-identical fretwork gallery of guilloche with flower-heads, which is re-interpreted in marquetry on this cabinet, and is a recurrent feature of Chippendale’s oeuvre of the mid-1770s (2).
The distinctive configuration of mirror panels on the upper doors of this cabinet, an oval set within a rectangular plate divided by giltwood astragals, closely compares to a chimney glass supplied by Chippendale in 1771 for the small room adjoining the State bedchamber at Nostell Priory (3). A related configuration appears in a design for a secretaire-bookcase in the 3rd edition of the Director (1762), although this is in the more florid Rococo manner of the 1760s (4). Furthermore, a drawing for the back of a garden seat, attributed to either Chippendale or Chippendale Junior, circa 1774, and in the collection at Harewood House, Yorkshire, includes related astragals (5). Examples of mirror panelled configurations on Chippendale’s furniture, which relates to the marquetry ornamentation of this cabinet includes: a Press bed commissioned for David Garrick’s villa at Hampton circa 1775, now in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum (6), a satinwood bookcase, probably supplied in circa 1773-75 to Sir Peniston Lamb, 1st Viscount Melbourne for Melbourne House, Piccadilly (7), and a mahogany bookcase of the 1790s supplied by Chippendale Junior to Harewood House (8).
This mirror configuration appears on a drawing by Adam dated 1771 for a pier bookcase, with mirror panelled doors that relate to the marquetry ornamentation of this cabinet; the bookcase was intended for Sir George Colebrooke, Bt., probably for the book room at 23 Arlington Street, but was never executed (9). This example reflects the long-lasting influence of Robert Adam (1728-92) on Chippendale’s furniture, both father and son, who were creating furniture to complement the Scottish architect’s interiors throughout the 1760s and 70s, and for most of Adam’s important houses, including Nostell Priory, Harewood House and Newby, all located in Chippendale Senior’s native Yorkshire.
The carved classical urns made to ornament the cornice of this cabinet recall the designs published by Chipppendale Junior in his Sketches of Ornament (June 1779) (10). An example of one of these urn finials is found on two window cornices, made for the Great Drawing Room at Burton Constable , Yorkshire, between 1778-79 (11), and on a giltwood overmantel, probably made for the White Drawing Room, Harewood House, in circa 1785 (12).
Chippendale Junior, who probably took over the firm in late 1778, a year prior to Chippendale Senior’s demise, created neo-classical furniture in a more aesthetically plain style but which still incorporated identifiable characteristics from his father’s period. Examples of this furniture include the ‘Weeping Women’ commode at Stourhead, Wiltshire that features the ‘flare-topped’ leg ending in a tapered spade foot found on the pair of commodes supplied by Chippendale Senior to William Constable for Mansfield Street, London, in 1774, on a commode attributed to either Chippendale Senior or junior, circa 1775-80, formerly in the collection of Norman Colvlle, reunited with its pair by Ronald Phillips in 2017 (13). Dudley Dodd and Lucy Wood fully discuss the parallel features between these commodes in the Furniture History Journal, 2011 (14).
(1) C. Gilbert, The Life and Work of Thomas Chippendale, London, 1978, vol. II, pp. 50-51, figs. 76-80.
(2) Ibid., p. 51, fig. 78.
(3) Ibid., p. 172, fig. 308.
(4) The Gentleman & Cabinet-Maker’s Director, 1762, plate LXXXVII.
(5) J. Goodison, The Life and Work of Thomas Chippendale Junior, London, 2017, p. 422, fig. 290.
(6) Ibid., p. 39, fig. 62.
(7) ‘The Exceptional Sale’, Christie’s, London, 9 July 2015, lot 153 (£92,500 inc. premium).
(8) Goodison, op. cit., pp. 300-301, figs. 84-85.
(9) SM Adam volume 17/219.
(10) Goodison, op. cit., pp. 36-38, figs. 13-15.
(11) Ibid., p. 340, fig. 152.
(12) Ibid., p. 353, fig. 171.
(13) Ibid., pp. 338, figs. 148-149; p. 339, figs. 150-151.
(14) D. Dodd, L. Wood, ‘The “Weeping Women” Commode and other orphaned furniture at Stourhead by the Chippendales, Senior and Junior’, Furniture History, 2011, pp. 58-62.
THE GILDING
The gilt pediment components and mirror dividers have been re-gilt. While the original gilding was cleaned, traces survived in the angles of the mirror dividers. The analysis of the original gilding reveals layers of gesso followed by a thick coat of animal glue size, producing a smooth, glossy surface, then a dull yellow oil size tinted with ochre, following by gold leaf. The use of a glue size layer was fairly common in the 18th Century, but it increased the chance of the gilding flaking at a later date, which is probably why the secretaire-cabinet was later re-gilt. After the original gilding was cleaned, a layer of fresh gesso was applied, followed by a layer of yellow, a light brown clay and then the present water gilding.
The rectilinear form of this cabinet, with classical urns on the cornice, together with austere ornamentation in the gout grec style, recalls a set of built-in architectural bookcases supplied by Chippendale in circa 1773 for the library at Brocket Hall, Hertfordshire (1). The pedimented version of these bookcases also includes a near-identical fretwork gallery of guilloche with flower-heads, which is re-interpreted in marquetry on this cabinet, and is a recurrent feature of Chippendale’s oeuvre of the mid-1770s (2).
The distinctive configuration of mirror panels on the upper doors of this cabinet, an oval set within a rectangular plate divided by giltwood astragals, closely compares to a chimney glass supplied by Chippendale in 1771 for the small room adjoining the State bedchamber at Nostell Priory (3). A related configuration appears in a design for a secretaire-bookcase in the 3rd edition of the Director (1762), although this is in the more florid Rococo manner of the 1760s (4). Furthermore, a drawing for the back of a garden seat, attributed to either Chippendale or Chippendale Junior, circa 1774, and in the collection at Harewood House, Yorkshire, includes related astragals (5). Examples of mirror panelled configurations on Chippendale’s furniture, which relates to the marquetry ornamentation of this cabinet includes: a Press bed commissioned for David Garrick’s villa at Hampton circa 1775, now in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum (6), a satinwood bookcase, probably supplied in circa 1773-75 to Sir Peniston Lamb, 1st Viscount Melbourne for Melbourne House, Piccadilly (7), and a mahogany bookcase of the 1790s supplied by Chippendale Junior to Harewood House (8).
This mirror configuration appears on a drawing by Adam dated 1771 for a pier bookcase, with mirror panelled doors that relate to the marquetry ornamentation of this cabinet; the bookcase was intended for Sir George Colebrooke, Bt., probably for the book room at 23 Arlington Street, but was never executed (9). This example reflects the long-lasting influence of Robert Adam (1728-92) on Chippendale’s furniture, both father and son, who were creating furniture to complement the Scottish architect’s interiors throughout the 1760s and 70s, and for most of Adam’s important houses, including Nostell Priory, Harewood House and Newby, all located in Chippendale Senior’s native Yorkshire.
The carved classical urns made to ornament the cornice of this cabinet recall the designs published by Chipppendale Junior in his Sketches of Ornament (June 1779) (10). An example of one of these urn finials is found on two window cornices, made for the Great Drawing Room at Burton Constable , Yorkshire, between 1778-79 (11), and on a giltwood overmantel, probably made for the White Drawing Room, Harewood House, in circa 1785 (12).
Chippendale Junior, who probably took over the firm in late 1778, a year prior to Chippendale Senior’s demise, created neo-classical furniture in a more aesthetically plain style but which still incorporated identifiable characteristics from his father’s period. Examples of this furniture include the ‘Weeping Women’ commode at Stourhead, Wiltshire that features the ‘flare-topped’ leg ending in a tapered spade foot found on the pair of commodes supplied by Chippendale Senior to William Constable for Mansfield Street, London, in 1774, on a commode attributed to either Chippendale Senior or junior, circa 1775-80, formerly in the collection of Norman Colvlle, reunited with its pair by Ronald Phillips in 2017 (13). Dudley Dodd and Lucy Wood fully discuss the parallel features between these commodes in the Furniture History Journal, 2011 (14).
(1) C. Gilbert, The Life and Work of Thomas Chippendale, London, 1978, vol. II, pp. 50-51, figs. 76-80.
(2) Ibid., p. 51, fig. 78.
(3) Ibid., p. 172, fig. 308.
(4) The Gentleman & Cabinet-Maker’s Director, 1762, plate LXXXVII.
(5) J. Goodison, The Life and Work of Thomas Chippendale Junior, London, 2017, p. 422, fig. 290.
(6) Ibid., p. 39, fig. 62.
(7) ‘The Exceptional Sale’, Christie’s, London, 9 July 2015, lot 153 (£92,500 inc. premium).
(8) Goodison, op. cit., pp. 300-301, figs. 84-85.
(9) SM Adam volume 17/219.
(10) Goodison, op. cit., pp. 36-38, figs. 13-15.
(11) Ibid., p. 340, fig. 152.
(12) Ibid., p. 353, fig. 171.
(13) Ibid., pp. 338, figs. 148-149; p. 339, figs. 150-151.
(14) D. Dodd, L. Wood, ‘The “Weeping Women” Commode and other orphaned furniture at Stourhead by the Chippendales, Senior and Junior’, Furniture History, 2011, pp. 58-62.
THE GILDING
The gilt pediment components and mirror dividers have been re-gilt. While the original gilding was cleaned, traces survived in the angles of the mirror dividers. The analysis of the original gilding reveals layers of gesso followed by a thick coat of animal glue size, producing a smooth, glossy surface, then a dull yellow oil size tinted with ochre, following by gold leaf. The use of a glue size layer was fairly common in the 18th Century, but it increased the chance of the gilding flaking at a later date, which is probably why the secretaire-cabinet was later re-gilt. After the original gilding was cleaned, a layer of fresh gesso was applied, followed by a layer of yellow, a light brown clay and then the present water gilding.