Cabinet
1500-1599 (made)
| Place of origin |
Wood, fitted with nine drawers and enclosed by a hinged, fall-front with iron lock. With two side handles and corner mounts. The exterior surfaces and drawer fronts are inlaid with star devices of geometrical ornament in wood and ivory. With a key.
Construction and condition
Dovtailed, with back nailed into rebates in top/bottoms and sides. Note use of figure of 8 nail heads.
Drawers with walnut linings, possibly remade (17c/18c) on original dovetailed fronts, the bottoms nailed up into rebates cuts in sides, front and back. Handles might be replaced. One drawer with internal dividers, possibly salvaged from earlier drawer. Bruises and patches where handles (and earlier ones too?) touched the fall front. Missing exterior hasp to fasten fall front.
Metalwork possibly not original (17c?) assuming cabinet is earlier - or suggests a later date that this seems to suggest at first sight. At the right end there are two infilled patches (c4cm) either side of the present handle, that do not go full thickness of end, so not fixings for earlier handle. The present handles show signs of gilding under the black. This does not show on the strapwork or escutcheon.
Note the two little bolts set into the strapwork at the top of the fall-front, the bolts locate in little square holes in the inner face at the front of the sides of the cabinet.
Construction and condition
Dovtailed, with back nailed into rebates in top/bottoms and sides. Note use of figure of 8 nail heads.
Drawers with walnut linings, possibly remade (17c/18c) on original dovetailed fronts, the bottoms nailed up into rebates cuts in sides, front and back. Handles might be replaced. One drawer with internal dividers, possibly salvaged from earlier drawer. Bruises and patches where handles (and earlier ones too?) touched the fall front. Missing exterior hasp to fasten fall front.
Metalwork possibly not original (17c?) assuming cabinet is earlier - or suggests a later date that this seems to suggest at first sight. At the right end there are two infilled patches (c4cm) either side of the present handle, that do not go full thickness of end, so not fixings for earlier handle. The present handles show signs of gilding under the black. This does not show on the strapwork or escutcheon.
Note the two little bolts set into the strapwork at the top of the fall-front, the bolts locate in little square holes in the inner face at the front of the sides of the cabinet.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Walnut, inlaid with other woods and bone or ivory |
| Brief description | Fall front, containing 9 drawers. Geometrical inlay. Spain c1550 |
| Physical description | Wood, fitted with nine drawers and enclosed by a hinged, fall-front with iron lock. With two side handles and corner mounts. The exterior surfaces and drawer fronts are inlaid with star devices of geometrical ornament in wood and ivory. With a key. Construction and condition Dovtailed, with back nailed into rebates in top/bottoms and sides. Note use of figure of 8 nail heads. Drawers with walnut linings, possibly remade (17c/18c) on original dovetailed fronts, the bottoms nailed up into rebates cuts in sides, front and back. Handles might be replaced. One drawer with internal dividers, possibly salvaged from earlier drawer. Bruises and patches where handles (and earlier ones too?) touched the fall front. Missing exterior hasp to fasten fall front. Metalwork possibly not original (17c?) assuming cabinet is earlier - or suggests a later date that this seems to suggest at first sight. At the right end there are two infilled patches (c4cm) either side of the present handle, that do not go full thickness of end, so not fixings for earlier handle. The present handles show signs of gilding under the black. This does not show on the strapwork or escutcheon. Note the two little bolts set into the strapwork at the top of the fall-front, the bolts locate in little square holes in the inner face at the front of the sides of the cabinet. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Object history | Given by Captain Victor A. Ward, 48 Evelyn Gardens, London SW7 (RF 21/4244), 'split and pieces missing'; includes a key. Ward wrote (27/6/1921) that "As I told you the cabinet came from a dealer in antiquities at Granada(where I also bought a Spanish Vargueno) in 1883. He called it "arabo", & I have, but cannot find, a print from some Art Magazine of a cabinet inlaid with ivory which they called Persian - & it had very much the same iron work." "Cabinet of wood, fitted with drawers and closed by hinged falling front; inlaid with star-devices in wood and ivory and fitted with iron lock, drop handles, angle plates and hinges." Described on the RF at acquisition as "an interesting and early example" |
| Bibliographic reference | Helmut Flade, Intarsia. Europäisches Einlengenkunst aus sechs Jahrhunderten (Dresden, 1986), fig. 10
37 x 56.8 x 37cm |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | W.104:1-1921 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
