Table Cabinet
1575-1600 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Marquetry cabinet in three parts: a shallow top box with lifting lid, the main compartment of the cabinet with two hinged doors, and a low plinth with a shallow drawer.
The top consists of a shallow box with concave sides and a lid held on two metal hinges. The exterior of the lid depicts a man on horseback and a dog, the interior of the lid a man and woman playing cards (within an oval cartouche), the floor of the box (visible from above with the lid raised) with a unicorn resting under a tree.
Both doors (inner and outer surfaces), sides and back of the cabinet main compartment depict garden scenes (with backgrounds of buildings and landscapes) containing men and women feasting and playing musical instruments (bagpipes, horn, lute, spinet) accompanied by jester-musicians, dogs and birds. On the left end is a black man holding a falcon with a discarded lute and music at his feet. The back scene is divided by a central column and a double arch, but as only the lower part of the arch is visible, it seems possible that larger panels were reduced in size. (This may indicate that early panels were reduced in size at a later date, or that ready-made panels were originally bought in by the cabinet-maker.)
The main compartment is enclosed by two doors (each held on two hinges), and consists of a central well surrounding by six small drawers, one medium width drawer (above the well) and a long drawer (below the well) which in turn contains two small drawers (at each end) and a very shallow sub-drawer with dividers. The drawer bottom is inscribed, suggesting that medals were kept here). All the drawers have a turned ivory knob (possibly replacements, certainly on the shallow sub-drawer of the wide lower drawer?). The three upper drawers have plain sides while the five drawers flanking and below the central well, and the internal faces of the well itself are veneered with banding around a central panel of ash. Apart from the upper three drawers, all the drawers contain a concealed reverse-opening sub-drawer at the back (with a metal pin handle), accessible only when the drawer is removed. The drawers and cupboard doors (inner and outer surfaces) depict similar garden scenes in very small scale marquetry. The bottom drawer depicts two scenes of lovers standing in front of a garden landscape, behind a balustrade flanking two vases within a double arch. The two square fronts with two vases within a double arch and geometrical marquetry borders.
The low base sits on a low moulded plinth and is veneered on all four sides with burr walnut (?), and contains a concealed shallow drawer (now fitted with a sprung lock and keyhole, and thus no longer concealed. There is no evidence of it having been fitted with feet.
The main doors are fitted with sliding bolts, top and bottom and an internal lock (with sprung catch). The metalwork may be partly or wholly replaced. Some or all of the drawer knobs may be replaced.
The top consists of a shallow box with concave sides and a lid held on two metal hinges. The exterior of the lid depicts a man on horseback and a dog, the interior of the lid a man and woman playing cards (within an oval cartouche), the floor of the box (visible from above with the lid raised) with a unicorn resting under a tree.
Both doors (inner and outer surfaces), sides and back of the cabinet main compartment depict garden scenes (with backgrounds of buildings and landscapes) containing men and women feasting and playing musical instruments (bagpipes, horn, lute, spinet) accompanied by jester-musicians, dogs and birds. On the left end is a black man holding a falcon with a discarded lute and music at his feet. The back scene is divided by a central column and a double arch, but as only the lower part of the arch is visible, it seems possible that larger panels were reduced in size. (This may indicate that early panels were reduced in size at a later date, or that ready-made panels were originally bought in by the cabinet-maker.)
The main compartment is enclosed by two doors (each held on two hinges), and consists of a central well surrounding by six small drawers, one medium width drawer (above the well) and a long drawer (below the well) which in turn contains two small drawers (at each end) and a very shallow sub-drawer with dividers. The drawer bottom is inscribed, suggesting that medals were kept here). All the drawers have a turned ivory knob (possibly replacements, certainly on the shallow sub-drawer of the wide lower drawer?). The three upper drawers have plain sides while the five drawers flanking and below the central well, and the internal faces of the well itself are veneered with banding around a central panel of ash. Apart from the upper three drawers, all the drawers contain a concealed reverse-opening sub-drawer at the back (with a metal pin handle), accessible only when the drawer is removed. The drawers and cupboard doors (inner and outer surfaces) depict similar garden scenes in very small scale marquetry. The bottom drawer depicts two scenes of lovers standing in front of a garden landscape, behind a balustrade flanking two vases within a double arch. The two square fronts with two vases within a double arch and geometrical marquetry borders.
The low base sits on a low moulded plinth and is veneered on all four sides with burr walnut (?), and contains a concealed shallow drawer (now fitted with a sprung lock and keyhole, and thus no longer concealed. There is no evidence of it having been fitted with feet.
The main doors are fitted with sliding bolts, top and bottom and an internal lock (with sprung catch). The metalwork may be partly or wholly replaced. Some or all of the drawer knobs may be replaced.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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Materials and techniques | Softwood carcase with marquetry of walnut and various woods (including olive, maple, plum?, pearwood?) |
Brief description | Cabinet, softwood carcase with marquetry of various woods, south German, 1575-1600 |
Physical description | Marquetry cabinet in three parts: a shallow top box with lifting lid, the main compartment of the cabinet with two hinged doors, and a low plinth with a shallow drawer. The top consists of a shallow box with concave sides and a lid held on two metal hinges. The exterior of the lid depicts a man on horseback and a dog, the interior of the lid a man and woman playing cards (within an oval cartouche), the floor of the box (visible from above with the lid raised) with a unicorn resting under a tree. Both doors (inner and outer surfaces), sides and back of the cabinet main compartment depict garden scenes (with backgrounds of buildings and landscapes) containing men and women feasting and playing musical instruments (bagpipes, horn, lute, spinet) accompanied by jester-musicians, dogs and birds. On the left end is a black man holding a falcon with a discarded lute and music at his feet. The back scene is divided by a central column and a double arch, but as only the lower part of the arch is visible, it seems possible that larger panels were reduced in size. (This may indicate that early panels were reduced in size at a later date, or that ready-made panels were originally bought in by the cabinet-maker.) The main compartment is enclosed by two doors (each held on two hinges), and consists of a central well surrounding by six small drawers, one medium width drawer (above the well) and a long drawer (below the well) which in turn contains two small drawers (at each end) and a very shallow sub-drawer with dividers. The drawer bottom is inscribed, suggesting that medals were kept here). All the drawers have a turned ivory knob (possibly replacements, certainly on the shallow sub-drawer of the wide lower drawer?). The three upper drawers have plain sides while the five drawers flanking and below the central well, and the internal faces of the well itself are veneered with banding around a central panel of ash. Apart from the upper three drawers, all the drawers contain a concealed reverse-opening sub-drawer at the back (with a metal pin handle), accessible only when the drawer is removed. The drawers and cupboard doors (inner and outer surfaces) depict similar garden scenes in very small scale marquetry. The bottom drawer depicts two scenes of lovers standing in front of a garden landscape, behind a balustrade flanking two vases within a double arch. The two square fronts with two vases within a double arch and geometrical marquetry borders. The low base sits on a low moulded plinth and is veneered on all four sides with burr walnut (?), and contains a concealed shallow drawer (now fitted with a sprung lock and keyhole, and thus no longer concealed. There is no evidence of it having been fitted with feet. The main doors are fitted with sliding bolts, top and bottom and an internal lock (with sprung catch). The metalwork may be partly or wholly replaced. Some or all of the drawer knobs may be replaced. |
Dimensions |
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Marks and inscriptions | Caesar Posit(?) Maximin
Nero/ Claudius
Otto/ Caes. Augs
Trajan (Ink manuscript on the bottom (at the four square, corner compartments) of the shallow sub-drawer of the bottom drawer of the main compartment, presumably identifying the medals once kept there.) |
Gallery label | Cabinet
This cabinet is covered with scenes of fashionable people feasting, playing musical instruments and dancing. Among them is a black man holding a falcon with a discarded lute and music at his feet. Augsburg was a centre for high quality inlaid cabinets for wealthy collectors.
German (Augsburg); late 16th-early 17th century. Pine carcase with marquetry of various woods.
Museum number 191:1-1904(10/2001) |
Object history | Bought for £100 from Mr J Richards, Friar Lane, Nottingham 'chipped, rubbed/damaged, portions missing' (per Mr G. Sebright of 58 Sloane Street, London). RP T80339/1904 (no further information on provenance from RP; Museum staff compared this piece ('one of the very finest specimens of South German furniture that I have ever seen' (AB Skinner 23/1/1904)) with VA 4250-1858). The marquetry scenes depict various pieces of furniture: numerous ornately decorated chests used as seats or a table; baluster-leg table; table with carved legs (auricular style); wine cooler; doors; fountains. Exhibited at the Holburn Museum, Bath, 27 October 2012 to 6 January 2013, in Secret Splendour. The Hidden World of Baroque Cabinets, cat. no. 8 |
Bibliographic reference | Secret Splendour. The Hidden World of Baroque Cabinets. Booklet written to accompany the exhibition at the Holburn Museum, Bath, 9 October 2012 - 6 January 2013, in which this cabinet was shown, cat. no. 8 |
Collection | |
Accession number | 191:1to3-1904 |
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Record created | November 2, 2001 |
Record URL |
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