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Cabinet

1927 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Writing cabinet on a stand; the stand of walnut with two sets of four spiral fluted legs square sectioned towards the bottom; each set of four legs is joined by four stretchers tenoned in at square section level, the two inner back legs also joined to each other by a stretcher; each set of four legs supports a single drawer either side of a central rounded kneehole arch; the drawers of mahogany with walnut fronts veneered in a pale wood with a border of dark wood, the drop handles of silver with Birmingham hallmark for 1927; the cabinet also of walnut with two rows of square burr elm panels set into the drop-front (four panels in top row - two either side of the central chased silver lock plate with design of rose bush and the date C.MCMXXVII - five panels in bottom row); each panel with a border made up of square blocks of mulberry with the corner bosses in stained oak; the drop-front opens to reveal a leather-covered writing surface, a door and drawer-fronts in yew with box and laburnam inlay and bog oak handles; the hinge inside the drop-front stamped 'LYGON'.


Object details

Category
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 11 parts.

  • Cabinet
  • Stand
  • Drawer
  • Drawer
  • Drawer
  • Drawer
  • Drawer
  • Drawer
  • Drawer
  • Drawer
  • Key
Materials and techniques
Walnut, oak ,bog oak, mulberry, mahogany, burr elm; joined, stained, veneered
Brief description
Writing cabinet on a stand; walnut, mahogany, mulberry, burr elm and oak; designed and made by Sir Gordon Russell; England, 1927
Physical description
Writing cabinet on a stand; the stand of walnut with two sets of four spiral fluted legs square sectioned towards the bottom; each set of four legs is joined by four stretchers tenoned in at square section level, the two inner back legs also joined to each other by a stretcher; each set of four legs supports a single drawer either side of a central rounded kneehole arch; the drawers of mahogany with walnut fronts veneered in a pale wood with a border of dark wood, the drop handles of silver with Birmingham hallmark for 1927; the cabinet also of walnut with two rows of square burr elm panels set into the drop-front (four panels in top row - two either side of the central chased silver lock plate with design of rose bush and the date C.MCMXXVII - five panels in bottom row); each panel with a border made up of square blocks of mulberry with the corner bosses in stained oak; the drop-front opens to reveal a leather-covered writing surface, a door and drawer-fronts in yew with box and laburnam inlay and bog oak handles; the hinge inside the drop-front stamped 'LYGON'.
Dimensions
  • Height: 136cm
  • Width: 101cm
  • Closed depth: 45.5cm
  • With fall front open depth: 99.5cm
17/12/2009
Marks and inscriptions
'LYGON' - stamped on the hinge inside the drop-front; label on underside of right drawer of stand, typed list of materials; maker's mark 'R+S: Russell & Sons'.
Object history
Object sampling carried out by Jo Darrah, V&A Science; drawer/slide reference 6/15.

This was recorded as being at the Bethnal Green Museum, 1968.
Historical context
This cabinet, along with other pieces made by Sir Gordon Russell before 1930 show the influence of the Cotswold school of makers who were in turn influenced by the Arts and Crafts Movement. It is representative of the firm's output before they started to use laminated board and some mass production elements.
Subject depicted
Bibliographic reference
Illustration of cabinet in Furnishing Trades Organiser, May 1925, p.265
Collection
Accession number
CIRC.428:1-1965

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Record createdMay 11, 2007
Record URL
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