Cabinet decorated with marquetry, possibly made by John Byfield, English (Yorkshire), ca. 1700.

Cabinet with marquetry of flowers, initials and family arms. The cabinet is formed of three sections, the lowest section in the form of a chest of drawers with four half-width drawers above a single drawer or full width; the central section has two cupboard doors enclosing two banks of seven drawers flanking a central section with small cupboard set between six drawers (above) and two narrow drawers above a single wider drawer (below); the top section is a deep cornice composed of two semi-circular arches facing front and a half semi-circle at ether side. There is a brushing slide concealed in the upper moulding of the lower section. The carcase is of pine, with walnut veneer inlaid with marquetry of various woods. The drawer linings are in quartered oak with fronts of wood (some with 2-plank construction). The bases are rebated into the sides with planted runners of oak. The front and back are rebated and nailed. The dovetails on the drawers are irregular.



Marquetry

The cabinet is veneered in walnut with inlay of several woods. The drawers of the lowest section are inlaid with swags composed of double bunches of leaves and, possibly, cherries, tied with ribbon bows. The doors of the central section are inlaid with ogee-headed arches enclosing large crossed L's, with flowers (including tulips) in the lower corners and in the spandrels to either side of the ogees. In this upper area, close to the centre, are inlaid a number of jasmine flowers in ivory. The semi-circular sections of the cornice are inlaid with paired bouquets of flowers including tulips and anemones. The inside of the doors are veneered with walnut with the grain running horizontally and are inlaid with flower-filled urns on ogee-sided pedestals. Within the central section the small cupboard is inlaid on the outside with the impaled arms of Lawson and Trotter, within an oval; the spandrels are inlaid with arabesques in light wood on walnut, and with the figures of a phoenix at each side at top centre point. Inside, this drawer is inlaid with the crest of Lawson (armoured arms raised to hold a sun in splendour), within an oval, the spandrels inlaid with flowers, including tulips. The sides of the cupboard recess are inlaid with a large star at each side. At the back of the recess, four drawers, with a shallow recess above, are veneered with arabesques in dark on light (2 drawers) and light on dark (2 drawers). The drawers surrounding the interior cupboard are inlaid with light stringing and with individual flowers and birds.



Cyphers and Armorials

The left hand (PR) door shows the GL monogram of George Lawson and the right hand (PL) door shows ML for Margaret Lawson. The door of the inner compartment carries the arms of both families. The Lawson arms, dexter (left) side are described in heraldic terms as 'Per pale, sable and argent a chevron countercharged' (divided in half vertically one half black and one silver, set with a chevron in the opposite colour on each section). The Trotter arms, for Margaret Lawson, on the sinister (right) side are described in heraldic terms as 'Argent a chief ermine with a lion azure overall' (silver, with an upper section showing ermine (the fur), with a blue lion covering both sections). The inside face of the door shows the crest of the Lawson family: 'Two flexed arms argent supporting the rising sun proper' (two flexed arms in silver, supporting the rising sun in its natural colours).



Brassware

The lower drawers have drop handles with circular back-plates and these are repeated on a smaller scale on the drawers of the innermost cupboard of the upper section. The drawers surrounding this cupboard show drop handles with diamond-shaped back-plates with incurved sides. They also show lockplates with oval back-plates with shaped edges and this back-plate is also used on the outer doors of the upper section.

Given by H. T. G. Watkins

The cabinet was made in about 1700 to commemorate the marriage of Margaret, daughter of Edward Trotter of Skelton Castle, to George Lawson, of Harlsey Castle, Yorkshire. It passed to Margaret Lawson's sister, Mrs. Catherine Bower, of Bridlington, who in turn left it to her son Henry in her will dated 21st April 1742 with the words: 'Item, I give to my son Henry Bower as a token of my Gratitude for his particular affection & care over me during my many and long illnesses, my Silver Tea Kettle and lamp and my large inlaid cabinet with china Jarrs thereto belonging which were my late sister Lawson's'.

The cabinet was passed down through the Bower family from generation to generation and given to the Museum in 1928.



Marquetry cabinet, donated by Watkins



Notes from R.P. 28/9673

The descent of this cabinet from its original owner to Watkins is well documented and all the relevant details have already been extracted to the notes in the Green Folder.



The aspect of the provenance not yet determined is the maker.



1/11/28 internal note, Ralph Edwards to Brackett

suggests that it and the similar (but less well preserved) cabinet in Streatlam Castle may both "be the work of Gerret Jensen (or Johnson), to whom payments are recorded in the Royal Accounts about 1700 for furniture inlaid with ciphers and crowns. They represent an extremely rare style of decoration, remarkable for naturalistic grace, delicacy of colour & lively drawing".



Historical significance: While English in overall form and style, the cabinet has elements in its decorative detailing which suggest an awareness of continental forms. The high pediments with their intricate mitring or 'pleating' of the cornice mouldings, suggest a German influence, while the marquetry of birds and flowers is reminiscent of Dutch craftsmanship. The crossed 'L's' on the door (for Lawson) may be a deliberate and flattering reference to the monogram of the French king Louis XIV, the leader of European fashions at this time. The sparseness of contemporary furnishings limited the possibilities for exhibiting porcelain, which was consequently often placed on cabinets, overdoors or mantelpieces. This cabinet represents the finest of late seventeenth-century marquetry, a technique which fell from favour in the early 18th century and was not revived until the 1750s.



The cabinet is certainly from the same workshop as the cabinet with the arms of the Bowes and Blakiston families that is now in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum, New York (inv. no. 31.86). See refs below, Herbert Cescinsky, 1929, for a detailed discussion of the similarities and differences.

The fashion for showing Chinese porcelain imported by the Dutch East India Company, at its height in the 1680s and 1690s was popularised by William and Mary and their court architect Daniel Marot (c.1663-1752) who brought the taste from Holland.

The pencil inscription 'John Byfield, Maker' has recently been found on the underside of a dustboard concealing a secret compartment at the base of the upper section, proper left. English marquetry cabinets on this scale are extremely rare. The only known similar cabinet (now in the Metropolitan Museum, New York: Museum number 31.86) was made to commemorate the marriage of William Bowes of Darlington, County Durham and his wife Elizabeth Blakiston in 1693 and is associated with Streatlam Castle. The geographical proximity of these patrons to the Lawson and Trotter families suggests that both cabinets were made by a local cabinet-maker. The continental influence of both the form and decoration of these cabinets suggest that the maker may have been of Dutch origin. But the quality of the carcase work suggests that his workshop was experienced in the higher quality English construction techniques prevalent at this date.

Object Type
The cabinet is in three sections. The lowest is a chest of five drawers, banded with sycamore and decorated with sprays of berries arranged in pairs and tied with ribbons representing true lovers' knots. The bracket feet have replaced the original bun feet.

The two doors of the central section open to reveal three tiers of drawers and a central inner door concealing a further inner tier of drawers. The outer drawers are decorated with floral marquetry. The inner door has the combined coat of arms of the Lawson and Trotter families and the inner drawers have arabesque marquetry.

The double-domed cresting on the top of the cabinet is inspired by Dutch furniture. The 'pleating' of its cornice is a German feature. The crossed Ls on the front of the upper doors are a reference to the monogram for the French king, Louis XIV.

People
The cabinet was inherited by Margaret Lawson's sister, Mrs Catherine Bower. She then left it to her son Henry, describing it in her will of 1742 as 'my large inlaid cabinet with china Jarrs thereto belonging which were my late sister Lawson's'.

W.136:1 to 46-1928