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Lot Essay
These unusual hanging-shelves reflect the 'English Louis XVI' taste promoted by Henry Holland in the 1780s and 90s. While their delicacy and fantasy link them to the Rococo period, the gilding and light paintwork is typical of the 1790s 'strictly French in feeling', found in the best furniture of the period (S. Houfe, 'Furniture for a Hunting Box', Country Life, 14 March 1991, p. 56). Each gallery features different fretwork panels, and the semi-circular tops are highly original.
The shelves were almost certainly intended to be en suite with other furniture commissioned for Oakley House, including the daybed (lot 106) and the sofa (lot 107) with similar distinctive paterae. These shelves may have been supplied by John Kerr of Pall Mall, London, whose bills for Oakley House cover the years 1791-95 and were personally signed off by Holland. He was the sole cabinetmaker to have furnished a complete room at Oakley House. Bills survive for at least a dozen dining room pieces by Kerr, and it was possibly Kerr who supplied other furniture for Oakley (ibid.). Interestingly, Kerr's documented works are overwhelmingly in mahogany as are these shelves. Kerr was making patent metamorphic mahogany furniture for the 5th Duke in this period, and some exceptional Greek-style benches for Woburn Abbey in 1804.
In 1861, the shelves were recorded in the inventory for Oakley House in the 'Dressing Room', described as 'A Hanging Bookcase... Japanned pink & gold in 3 Compartments shaped front & circular top carved & gilt Bracket Carved Partitions'. This colour scheme was mirrored in the curtains and draperies of the room described as 'Striped Tabouret bound pink lace' (ibid.). Analysis of the decoration has shown that these shelves have been decorated five times with an initial scheme in grey-white, being replaced with a bright blue scheme with parcel-gilt decoration shortly after, further details of the analysis is available on request.
The shelves were almost certainly intended to be en suite with other furniture commissioned for Oakley House, including the daybed (lot 106) and the sofa (lot 107) with similar distinctive paterae. These shelves may have been supplied by John Kerr of Pall Mall, London, whose bills for Oakley House cover the years 1791-95 and were personally signed off by Holland. He was the sole cabinetmaker to have furnished a complete room at Oakley House. Bills survive for at least a dozen dining room pieces by Kerr, and it was possibly Kerr who supplied other furniture for Oakley (ibid.). Interestingly, Kerr's documented works are overwhelmingly in mahogany as are these shelves. Kerr was making patent metamorphic mahogany furniture for the 5th Duke in this period, and some exceptional Greek-style benches for Woburn Abbey in 1804.
In 1861, the shelves were recorded in the inventory for Oakley House in the 'Dressing Room', described as 'A Hanging Bookcase... Japanned pink & gold in 3 Compartments shaped front & circular top carved & gilt Bracket Carved Partitions'. This colour scheme was mirrored in the curtains and draperies of the room described as 'Striped Tabouret bound pink lace' (ibid.). Analysis of the decoration has shown that these shelves have been decorated five times with an initial scheme in grey-white, being replaced with a bright blue scheme with parcel-gilt decoration shortly after, further details of the analysis is available on request.