Cabinet, rosewood inlaid with ivory, Collinson and Lock, London, ca.1890

Display cabinet, rosewood inlaid with ivory, with a moulded D-shaped cornice, the front with a square door enclosing shelves and flanked by curved glazed doors also enclosing shelves, with a deep frieze below and raised on four baluster legs of square section standing on a moulded D-shaped base and with a panelled back; the whole elaborately and delicately inlaid with finely engraved arabesques.

Made by the firm of Collinson and Lock who started business at 109 Fleet St. in 1871. Lock was of the same family as the famous eighteenth century designer Mathias Lock. The firm was in the forefront of the art furniture movement, and the superb quality engraved ivory inlay was designed and possibly executed by Stephen Webb who worked for them from about 1885. The Museum also possesses a small table (W.32-1954) by Collinson and Lock and Webb. They were taken over by Gillows in the early 1890's.

Webb wrote extensively on ivory inlay in various contemporary art periodicals and though he was a member of the arts and crafts movement, the arabesque Renaissance detail of the inlay shows the impact of the teaching of the School of Art at South Kensington.

H.L. Mason, from whom this cabinet was acquired, said that it had been purchased in Paris by his father through Maples. He said his father had been told by the makers that the cabinet cost £500 to produce. This object was previously on long-term loan to the V&A before it was accessioned.

Returned from loan to Bodelwyddan Castle, National Portrait Gallery, Rhyl, May 2017.

W.20:1, 2-1971