Cabinet on Stand
1740-1760 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Physical description:
Mahogany cabinet on separate open stand with two glass doors, the stand and cabinet both embellished with extravagant rococo carving.
Top:
The cabinet section has two glass doors, the frames carved all round with extravagant/intense ‘Rococo’ ornament.
The inner edges of the frames are irregularly shaped by the ornament, which includes ‘C’ and ‘S” scrolls and rocaille with apparent piercings, palm frond and acanthus, flower heads, beads and shells. The ornament is disposed symmetrically but with asymmetric details. The ‘Rococo’ ornament is apparently set against a narrow ground of punched trellis work that appears at the edges and fills most of the frame area behind this ornament. The leading edge of the PL door is carved with an integral guilloche moulding that laps over a rebated area on the PR door. The sides of the cabinet are of plain mahogany. There is no frieze section but the deep cornice is concave in section, carved along the lower edge with a guilloche moulding, above which are large upright acanthus motifs with oval upright piercings on alternate leaves. Above is a stepped, moulded, upper cornice, on the two sides, smaller in scale, carved with foliage within palmettes, between which are upright oval piercings. On the front of the cabinet, both cornices are carved on the rising element of the broken pediment, the ends of which are carved with hanging leaf scrolls, which issue from a deep flower head. In the centre of the broken pediment there is a carved bust of a man with curled hair wearing a laurel wreath.
Inside, the cabinet is fitted with two fixed shelves of oak edged with a section of mahogany, which is rounded on the front edge.
Note: glass is a modern replacement but exact date is not known.
Construction of Top part:
The carcass - oak top and base and mahogany sides - is probably of dovetail construction. The two shelves sit in recess cut in the side, slid in from the back with an additional recess for a now missing shelf, close to the top of the cabinet. The back is of oak boards, nailed into recess in the sides and to the top and bottom boards. The deep cornice is attached with heavy glue blocks and the odd screw. The glue blocks on the PL side have been substituted by a length of what appears to be dado rail. The door frames are through tenoned, the top and bottom rails showing their tenons on the side of the doors. The carving on the front of the doors is all in the solid, meaning that the original depth the door frames (before carving) was approximately 4cm.
Physical description of stand:
A shallow stand of carved mahogany, supported on four oversize lions legs, each with four claws and a thumb. The legs are carved with muscling and hairy fetlocks. The knees are carved with scrolling tresses that come about half way down the leg and rise onto the block at the level of the apron rail, held at the apparent joint by a twisted rope. The front apron is carved with elongated ‘S’ scrolls and pierced rocaille against a trellised ground, which is set within a recessed reserve. The ground of the rocaille is carved with lines created with a narrow, curved chisel, punched side by side, which is much coarser than that of the carving on the cabinet. The centre of the apron is carved with a flower head with scrolled over petals and apparent piercing. From the centre of this emerges a scroll of acanthus leaf. On the sides, the very short apron panels are carved with a flatter version of this, shaped to the square panel. The carving of these side pieces is of much lower quality. The edge of the top is set with an attached quadrant moulding carved with egg and dart, above which a concave plain moulding provides a lip that encloses the base of the cabinet.
The carving of the stand is very different in nature to the carving of the cabinet
Construction of stand:
The legs are carved away on the top surface with a curved chisel to a depth of about 5mm, leaving a flat ‘L’ shaped edge, approximately 10cm wide. The rails must be tenoned into the legs and are of double thickness with oak rails running behind the mahogany rails on which the carving is set. On the back there is no outer rail. The joints are chisel marked from 1 to 8 (in single strikes) on the inside of the legs and the adjoining rails.
Condition: there is a particularly heavy stain/varnish over the whole piece.
Construction note:
The pediments are just screwed on and the bust slides into a three-sided recess formed by mouldings.
Notes from grey file:
Cabinet on stand, carved mahogany. In 2 stages, the cabinet consists of two class-panelled doors with heavily moulded surrounds composed of 'C' curves, flowers, rocaille and cabochon oranments and acanthus and cabochon openwork. From the rosettes of each scroll hangs an acanthus leaf; on a central plinth is a laurel-wreathed bust of an empress. The cabinet contains 2 shelves.
The base is of 4 basically cabriole legs with exaggeratedly hairy knees and calves, terminating in paw feet. The 4 legs are bound together by rope and in the front 'S' curves, cabochon and acanthus centre on a rococo flower whose petals are inset with cabochons.
The overloading of the decoration and generally rather charmingly naive proportions of the cabinet suggest its Irish origin. However it should be mentioned that the quality of the carving is of an exceptionally high standard, which is also consistent with Dublin work of the mid-18th century.
Inspected on loan at Oxburgh Hall, Norfolk by NH 2005-10-06
Oxburgh has key; cabinet showed full of objets.
Carcase is oak, not pine. Back formed from vertical oak boards. Carving built up on oak supports. Apron break has been reglued. The glass modern. Three shelf grooves and two shelves. Assembly marks at the top of the legs and rails.
PL side waist has replaced horizontal mahogany batten.
The moulding around the top of the stand (inside which the top section sits) seems replacement, of a different colour.
Mahogany cabinet on separate open stand with two glass doors, the stand and cabinet both embellished with extravagant rococo carving.
Top:
The cabinet section has two glass doors, the frames carved all round with extravagant/intense ‘Rococo’ ornament.
The inner edges of the frames are irregularly shaped by the ornament, which includes ‘C’ and ‘S” scrolls and rocaille with apparent piercings, palm frond and acanthus, flower heads, beads and shells. The ornament is disposed symmetrically but with asymmetric details. The ‘Rococo’ ornament is apparently set against a narrow ground of punched trellis work that appears at the edges and fills most of the frame area behind this ornament. The leading edge of the PL door is carved with an integral guilloche moulding that laps over a rebated area on the PR door. The sides of the cabinet are of plain mahogany. There is no frieze section but the deep cornice is concave in section, carved along the lower edge with a guilloche moulding, above which are large upright acanthus motifs with oval upright piercings on alternate leaves. Above is a stepped, moulded, upper cornice, on the two sides, smaller in scale, carved with foliage within palmettes, between which are upright oval piercings. On the front of the cabinet, both cornices are carved on the rising element of the broken pediment, the ends of which are carved with hanging leaf scrolls, which issue from a deep flower head. In the centre of the broken pediment there is a carved bust of a man with curled hair wearing a laurel wreath.
Inside, the cabinet is fitted with two fixed shelves of oak edged with a section of mahogany, which is rounded on the front edge.
Note: glass is a modern replacement but exact date is not known.
Construction of Top part:
The carcass - oak top and base and mahogany sides - is probably of dovetail construction. The two shelves sit in recess cut in the side, slid in from the back with an additional recess for a now missing shelf, close to the top of the cabinet. The back is of oak boards, nailed into recess in the sides and to the top and bottom boards. The deep cornice is attached with heavy glue blocks and the odd screw. The glue blocks on the PL side have been substituted by a length of what appears to be dado rail. The door frames are through tenoned, the top and bottom rails showing their tenons on the side of the doors. The carving on the front of the doors is all in the solid, meaning that the original depth the door frames (before carving) was approximately 4cm.
Physical description of stand:
A shallow stand of carved mahogany, supported on four oversize lions legs, each with four claws and a thumb. The legs are carved with muscling and hairy fetlocks. The knees are carved with scrolling tresses that come about half way down the leg and rise onto the block at the level of the apron rail, held at the apparent joint by a twisted rope. The front apron is carved with elongated ‘S’ scrolls and pierced rocaille against a trellised ground, which is set within a recessed reserve. The ground of the rocaille is carved with lines created with a narrow, curved chisel, punched side by side, which is much coarser than that of the carving on the cabinet. The centre of the apron is carved with a flower head with scrolled over petals and apparent piercing. From the centre of this emerges a scroll of acanthus leaf. On the sides, the very short apron panels are carved with a flatter version of this, shaped to the square panel. The carving of these side pieces is of much lower quality. The edge of the top is set with an attached quadrant moulding carved with egg and dart, above which a concave plain moulding provides a lip that encloses the base of the cabinet.
The carving of the stand is very different in nature to the carving of the cabinet
Construction of stand:
The legs are carved away on the top surface with a curved chisel to a depth of about 5mm, leaving a flat ‘L’ shaped edge, approximately 10cm wide. The rails must be tenoned into the legs and are of double thickness with oak rails running behind the mahogany rails on which the carving is set. On the back there is no outer rail. The joints are chisel marked from 1 to 8 (in single strikes) on the inside of the legs and the adjoining rails.
Condition: there is a particularly heavy stain/varnish over the whole piece.
Construction note:
The pediments are just screwed on and the bust slides into a three-sided recess formed by mouldings.
Notes from grey file:
Cabinet on stand, carved mahogany. In 2 stages, the cabinet consists of two class-panelled doors with heavily moulded surrounds composed of 'C' curves, flowers, rocaille and cabochon oranments and acanthus and cabochon openwork. From the rosettes of each scroll hangs an acanthus leaf; on a central plinth is a laurel-wreathed bust of an empress. The cabinet contains 2 shelves.
The base is of 4 basically cabriole legs with exaggeratedly hairy knees and calves, terminating in paw feet. The 4 legs are bound together by rope and in the front 'S' curves, cabochon and acanthus centre on a rococo flower whose petals are inset with cabochons.
The overloading of the decoration and generally rather charmingly naive proportions of the cabinet suggest its Irish origin. However it should be mentioned that the quality of the carving is of an exceptionally high standard, which is also consistent with Dublin work of the mid-18th century.
Inspected on loan at Oxburgh Hall, Norfolk by NH 2005-10-06
Oxburgh has key; cabinet showed full of objets.
Carcase is oak, not pine. Back formed from vertical oak boards. Carving built up on oak supports. Apron break has been reglued. The glass modern. Three shelf grooves and two shelves. Assembly marks at the top of the legs and rails.
PL side waist has replaced horizontal mahogany batten.
The moulding around the top of the stand (inside which the top section sits) seems replacement, of a different colour.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 6 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Mahogany, on oak carcase. |
| Brief description | Cabinet on stand, 1740-1760, Irish, with carved decoration |
| Physical description | Physical description: Mahogany cabinet on separate open stand with two glass doors, the stand and cabinet both embellished with extravagant rococo carving. Top: The cabinet section has two glass doors, the frames carved all round with extravagant/intense ‘Rococo’ ornament. The inner edges of the frames are irregularly shaped by the ornament, which includes ‘C’ and ‘S” scrolls and rocaille with apparent piercings, palm frond and acanthus, flower heads, beads and shells. The ornament is disposed symmetrically but with asymmetric details. The ‘Rococo’ ornament is apparently set against a narrow ground of punched trellis work that appears at the edges and fills most of the frame area behind this ornament. The leading edge of the PL door is carved with an integral guilloche moulding that laps over a rebated area on the PR door. The sides of the cabinet are of plain mahogany. There is no frieze section but the deep cornice is concave in section, carved along the lower edge with a guilloche moulding, above which are large upright acanthus motifs with oval upright piercings on alternate leaves. Above is a stepped, moulded, upper cornice, on the two sides, smaller in scale, carved with foliage within palmettes, between which are upright oval piercings. On the front of the cabinet, both cornices are carved on the rising element of the broken pediment, the ends of which are carved with hanging leaf scrolls, which issue from a deep flower head. In the centre of the broken pediment there is a carved bust of a man with curled hair wearing a laurel wreath. Inside, the cabinet is fitted with two fixed shelves of oak edged with a section of mahogany, which is rounded on the front edge. Note: glass is a modern replacement but exact date is not known. Construction of Top part: The carcass - oak top and base and mahogany sides - is probably of dovetail construction. The two shelves sit in recess cut in the side, slid in from the back with an additional recess for a now missing shelf, close to the top of the cabinet. The back is of oak boards, nailed into recess in the sides and to the top and bottom boards. The deep cornice is attached with heavy glue blocks and the odd screw. The glue blocks on the PL side have been substituted by a length of what appears to be dado rail. The door frames are through tenoned, the top and bottom rails showing their tenons on the side of the doors. The carving on the front of the doors is all in the solid, meaning that the original depth the door frames (before carving) was approximately 4cm. Physical description of stand: A shallow stand of carved mahogany, supported on four oversize lions legs, each with four claws and a thumb. The legs are carved with muscling and hairy fetlocks. The knees are carved with scrolling tresses that come about half way down the leg and rise onto the block at the level of the apron rail, held at the apparent joint by a twisted rope. The front apron is carved with elongated ‘S’ scrolls and pierced rocaille against a trellised ground, which is set within a recessed reserve. The ground of the rocaille is carved with lines created with a narrow, curved chisel, punched side by side, which is much coarser than that of the carving on the cabinet. The centre of the apron is carved with a flower head with scrolled over petals and apparent piercing. From the centre of this emerges a scroll of acanthus leaf. On the sides, the very short apron panels are carved with a flatter version of this, shaped to the square panel. The carving of these side pieces is of much lower quality. The edge of the top is set with an attached quadrant moulding carved with egg and dart, above which a concave plain moulding provides a lip that encloses the base of the cabinet. The carving of the stand is very different in nature to the carving of the cabinet Construction of stand: The legs are carved away on the top surface with a curved chisel to a depth of about 5mm, leaving a flat ‘L’ shaped edge, approximately 10cm wide. The rails must be tenoned into the legs and are of double thickness with oak rails running behind the mahogany rails on which the carving is set. On the back there is no outer rail. The joints are chisel marked from 1 to 8 (in single strikes) on the inside of the legs and the adjoining rails. Condition: there is a particularly heavy stain/varnish over the whole piece. Construction note: The pediments are just screwed on and the bust slides into a three-sided recess formed by mouldings. Notes from grey file: Cabinet on stand, carved mahogany. In 2 stages, the cabinet consists of two class-panelled doors with heavily moulded surrounds composed of 'C' curves, flowers, rocaille and cabochon oranments and acanthus and cabochon openwork. From the rosettes of each scroll hangs an acanthus leaf; on a central plinth is a laurel-wreathed bust of an empress. The cabinet contains 2 shelves. The base is of 4 basically cabriole legs with exaggeratedly hairy knees and calves, terminating in paw feet. The 4 legs are bound together by rope and in the front 'S' curves, cabochon and acanthus centre on a rococo flower whose petals are inset with cabochons. The overloading of the decoration and generally rather charmingly naive proportions of the cabinet suggest its Irish origin. However it should be mentioned that the quality of the carving is of an exceptionally high standard, which is also consistent with Dublin work of the mid-18th century. Inspected on loan at Oxburgh Hall, Norfolk by NH 2005-10-06 Oxburgh has key; cabinet showed full of objets. Carcase is oak, not pine. Back formed from vertical oak boards. Carving built up on oak supports. Apron break has been reglued. The glass modern. Three shelf grooves and two shelves. Assembly marks at the top of the legs and rails. PL side waist has replaced horizontal mahogany batten. The moulding around the top of the stand (inside which the top section sits) seems replacement, of a different colour. |
| Dimensions |
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| Object history | Bought from Gerald Kerin, Ltd., 9 Mount Street, W1, for £550 (purchased with money from Gabrial Sacher Charity Trust). On loan to the National Trust at Oxburgh Hall, Norfolk from 1955-2019 When this object was first acquired by the museum it was considered to be a fine example of Irish furniture of the eighteenth-century. It is now considered far more likely to be a nineteenth century piece, made in the style of an eighteenth-century Irish piece, with some parts of it possibly being original, salvaged, eighteenth-century material. For example, the mahogany side panels seem to have been cut down from a much larger piece of furniture: they are cut with shelf rests, one of which is only a matter of cm from the top of the cabinet so makes no sense as a shelf support for this piece of furniture. The style of the carving also makes a strong argument for the nineteenth-century origins of this piece. For examples of eighteenth-century Irish furniture with comparable parts, see ‘Irish Furniture’ by The Knight of Glin and James Peil (2007), pages 61, 68, 78, 82, 89, 113, 120, 196, 227, 244. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | W.11-1962 |
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| Record created | January 13, 2006 |
| Record URL |
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