Chest of Drawers
ca. 1780 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This piece of furniture combines a chest of drawers and a secretaire. The top surface moves back and, at the same time, the drawer slides forward, to provide a writing surface. A smaller version of this piece is also in the Museum's collections (Museum no. 1089-1882). The trellis marquetry is similar to designs found on pieces made in the 1780s in Paris by the Swedish-born cabinet-maker Pierre-Harry Mewesen. Both the pieces in the Museum's collections belonged to John Jones, a succesful supplier of military uniforms to the British army, who used his fortune to buy French decorative arts of the 18th century. At the time that he was buying, in the 1870s, there was a brisk trade in both reproduction and fake French furniture, while some genuine 18th-century pieces were embellished with grander marquetry or richer gilt-bronze mounts. Although this kind of secretaire had been made in the 1780s, there is still much debate about the precise history of this one.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 4 parts. (Some alternative part names are also shown below)
|
| Materials and techniques | Veneered in mahogany, tulipwood, rosewood, boxwood and kingwood, on a carcase of oak, pine and walnut; mounts of gilt bronze; top of leather |
| Brief description | Commode-secrétaire, veneered with trellis marquetry in mahogany and other woods, on a carcase of oak, pine and walnut, possibly made by Pierre-Harry Mewesen, France, about 1780 |
| Physical description | Commode-secrétaire, veneered in mahogany, tulipwood, rosewood, boxwood and kingwood, on a carcase of oak, pine and walnut; mounts of gilt bronze; top of leather |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Bequeathed by John Jones |
| Object history | In the collection of John Jones before 1882. A pair of late-19th century commodes by Leclair, of exactly this form, were offered for sale by Heritage Auctions, New York, 28 May 2020, from a Dallas collection, illustrated in The Antique Trade Gazette, 16 May 2020, in an advertisement of Heritage Auctions. Image filed in object file. |
| Production | This piece may have been entirely made up in the 19th century. The type of furniture was made in the 18th century but |
| Summary | This piece of furniture combines a chest of drawers and a secretaire. The top surface moves back and, at the same time, the drawer slides forward, to provide a writing surface. A smaller version of this piece is also in the Museum's collections (Museum no. 1089-1882). The trellis marquetry is similar to designs found on pieces made in the 1780s in Paris by the Swedish-born cabinet-maker Pierre-Harry Mewesen. Both the pieces in the Museum's collections belonged to John Jones, a succesful supplier of military uniforms to the British army, who used his fortune to buy French decorative arts of the 18th century. At the time that he was buying, in the 1870s, there was a brisk trade in both reproduction and fake French furniture, while some genuine 18th-century pieces were embellished with grander marquetry or richer gilt-bronze mounts. Although this kind of secretaire had been made in the 1780s, there is still much debate about the precise history of this one. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 1088-1882 |
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| Record created | June 29, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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