Cabinet
ca. 1905 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The inspiration for this cabinet was the Spanish vargueño, a writing cabinet on a stand. A typical vargueño had a plain exterior that opened up to reveal a rich interior fitted with leather tooled with gold foil. The English designer C. R. Ashbee particularly admired this contrast and used it to great effect in designs for a number of fall-front writing cabinets. In this type of cabinet, the hinged front flap opens or 'falls' to form a horizontal writing surface.
This cabinet appeared in an exhibition of 1906 organised by the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society, to which Ashbee belonged. It was available for sale at £65. Unsold, it then became part of the furnishings at 37 Cheyne Walk, Chelsea, London. This house, known as the 'Magpie and Stump', belonged to Mrs H. S. Ashbee, the designer's mother.
This cabinet appeared in an exhibition of 1906 organised by the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society, to which Ashbee belonged. It was available for sale at £65. Unsold, it then became part of the furnishings at 37 Cheyne Walk, Chelsea, London. This house, known as the 'Magpie and Stump', belonged to Mrs H. S. Ashbee, the designer's mother.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 3 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Walnut stand, sycamore carcase and cedar drawers, with gold tooled morocco leather; wrought iron fittings probably added after 1906 |
| Brief description | Cabinet, British 1904-5, designed by C.R. Ashbee |
| Physical description | Cabinet made of a sycamore carcase and cedar drawers with gold tooled morocco leather and wrought iron fittings on a walnut stand. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Style | |
| Gallery label | CABINET ON STAND
Designed by C.R. Ashbee (British, 1863-1942)
Made by J.W. Pyment and others, the Guild of Handicraft, Campden, Gloucestershire. Leatherwork by Statia Power Walnut and silver-grey wood with leather, blind-stamped and tooled in gold, wrought iron fittings
1903
Ashbee showed this cabinet at the Arts and Crafts Society Exhibition in 1906, but it was probably made before the middle of 1905 since the leatherwork was decorated by Annie Power, the Guild bookbinder who left the Guild in 1905. The form of the cabinet is based on that of a seventeenth century Spanish Vargueno.
Circ.234-1960(1989-2006) |
| Object history | Object sampling carried out by Jo Darrah, V&A Science; drawer/slide reference 6/46. In 1968 this cabinet was recorded in store at Osterley Park. |
| Summary | The inspiration for this cabinet was the Spanish vargueño, a writing cabinet on a stand. A typical vargueño had a plain exterior that opened up to reveal a rich interior fitted with leather tooled with gold foil. The English designer C. R. Ashbee particularly admired this contrast and used it to great effect in designs for a number of fall-front writing cabinets. In this type of cabinet, the hinged front flap opens or 'falls' to form a horizontal writing surface. This cabinet appeared in an exhibition of 1906 organised by the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society, to which Ashbee belonged. It was available for sale at £65. Unsold, it then became part of the furnishings at 37 Cheyne Walk, Chelsea, London. This house, known as the 'Magpie and Stump', belonged to Mrs H. S. Ashbee, the designer's mother. |
| Bibliographic reference | Innen-Dekoration, XXI, 1910, p.179. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | CIRC.234:1, 2-1960 |
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 | November 27, 2002 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
