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拍品专文
The Scottish architect and designer Bruce J. Talbert (1838-1881) began his career as apprentice to master architects in Glasgow before moving to England in 1862. In 1866, he received his first job in London working for Holland & Sons, and with that firm won a silver medal at the 1867 Paris Exhibition. Following that success, he continued to receive commissions from firms like Gillows and Cox & Sons. Talbert published his first work, Gothic Forms Applied to Furniture, Metal Work and Decoration for Domestic Purposes, the same year, demonstrating his proficiency in carved ornament and decorative inlay.
This cabinet bears a very close resemblance to William Burges’ Wine and Beers Sideboard in the Victoria & Albert Museum (8042:1 to 3-1862). Burges exhibited the cabinet first at the 1859 Architectural exhibition and then the 1862 International Exhibition in London where it was purchased by the South Kensington Museum. In her study of early works by Talbert which includes a discussion of this piece, Macdonald (op.cit.) notes the unusual character of the current work and believes it is plausible that Talbert saw the cabinet at the various exhibitions or at the Museum, given the similarities. The form of the Burges cabinet is nearly identical to the present lot, with shaped angle mounts and the decoration on the uprights. Talbert rarely executed painted furniture as he found it to be impractical, and instead preferred highly detailed, bold geometric patterns inspired by Medieval and Jacobean decoration in low-relief carving.
In Talbert’s second publication, Gothic Forms Applied to Furniture, Metal Work, and Decoration for Domestic Purposes (1868), he illustrates a cupboard presented at the 1867 Paris Exhibition with nearly identical roundels depicting elaborately plumed birds within quatrefoils (pl. 24). The diaper patterns surrounding the panels, painted on the drawers and sides are also very closely related to those illustrated on plate no. 15. It is possible, given his more ‘gargantuan’ designs as once remarked upon by John Moyr-Smith, the original design for this cabinet may have incorporated an upper tier to function as a sideboard, instead replaced by the formerly stenciled top, now protected under glass.
This cabinet bears a very close resemblance to William Burges’ Wine and Beers Sideboard in the Victoria & Albert Museum (8042:1 to 3-1862). Burges exhibited the cabinet first at the 1859 Architectural exhibition and then the 1862 International Exhibition in London where it was purchased by the South Kensington Museum. In her study of early works by Talbert which includes a discussion of this piece, Macdonald (op.cit.) notes the unusual character of the current work and believes it is plausible that Talbert saw the cabinet at the various exhibitions or at the Museum, given the similarities. The form of the Burges cabinet is nearly identical to the present lot, with shaped angle mounts and the decoration on the uprights. Talbert rarely executed painted furniture as he found it to be impractical, and instead preferred highly detailed, bold geometric patterns inspired by Medieval and Jacobean decoration in low-relief carving.
In Talbert’s second publication, Gothic Forms Applied to Furniture, Metal Work, and Decoration for Domestic Purposes (1868), he illustrates a cupboard presented at the 1867 Paris Exhibition with nearly identical roundels depicting elaborately plumed birds within quatrefoils (pl. 24). The diaper patterns surrounding the panels, painted on the drawers and sides are also very closely related to those illustrated on plate no. 15. It is possible, given his more ‘gargantuan’ designs as once remarked upon by John Moyr-Smith, the original design for this cabinet may have incorporated an upper tier to function as a sideboard, instead replaced by the formerly stenciled top, now protected under glass.