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Lot 86
19th Century mahogany secretaire bookcase having a moulded cornice and fitted four adjustable shelves enclosed by pair of glazed panelled doors having reeded arched tracery, the lower section with secretaire drawer having fitted interior with ivory knobs, the cupboard fitted three sliding trays enclosed by a pair of blind panel doors on plinth base, 127cm wide x 234cm high
Lot 129
Fine late 19th Century Neo-Classical satinwood Pembroke table, the oval top with painted medallion depicting classical female figures and amorini seated beneath a tree, the outer edge with a painted border of flowers, the frieze with painted swags fitted a drawer with turned ivory knob. Standing on four slender turned and tapered supports having brass terminals and casters united by an 'X' shaped stretcher with central urn design finial, 106cm x 77cm (open)
Lot 163
19th Century French brass Gothic style cathedral clock decorated with multiple crocketted finials and four small pottery statues, the pierced doors and windows having a silvered finish, the off-white enamel dial with blue Roman numerals and signed Dacosta Jnr, Paris, standing on a brass and ivory inlaid lacquered plinth and beneath a glass dome, clock height 53cm
Lot 20
A LATE 17TH CENTURY TORTOISESHELL AND EBONISED ANTWERP CABINET with eight moulded drawers each with ivory knob handle, flanking an architectural door with columns to each side surmounted by broken pediment and two ivory oriental busts atop each column, the door opening to reveal three further drawers with ivory handles above one frieze drawer, all on a later ebonised stand, 46" wide (see illustration)
Lot 642
A Louis XIV ebony, ivory and tortoiseshell cabinet in the manner of Jean Mace, the doors centered by carved circular panels with scenes from early Roman History below a long frieze with scenes from Neptune's kingdom, the panels with herald angels and seated warriors to the spandrels, the reverses etched trees and flowers within ripple moulded borders enclosing two banks of five drawers flanking panel doors with further drawer above and below, the central arched panel doors depicting Justice and Prudence disclosing a 'stage-set' caisson the three steps leading to a platform with ivory balustrade and flanked two banks of four drawers, the back panels within arched colonnade painted noblemen and women interspersed with mirrors, the whole concealing further secret drawers, the base with bacchanal frieze above four fluted column supports to shaped carved apron on a platform base with compressed bun feet, together with a later superstructure, the key with metal tag 'Antwerp Cubt', 174cm (68.5") wide. Provenance: Acquired by the Honorable Francis Bridgeman of Ennismore Gardens SW7 in payment of a bad debt from a French client. Bridgeman family, Dowdeswell Manor, Gloucestershire 1943-1980 and thence by descent to the current owner. Notes: The period between the Edict of Nantes in 1598, and its revocation in 1685 saw a flourishing in French cabinet making. The influx of craftsmen from around Europe, particularly the Huguenots, drew in influences and skills which allowed furniture making to increase in sophistication and scope. The ébenistes of the Spanish Netherlands were particularly influential in the production of ebony cabinets-on- stands and fine examples are held at the Victoria and Albert Museum, Windsor Castle and elsewhere. The heyday of ebony cabinet making was perhaps 1640-1660 and was focused on Paris due to the availability of skilled craftsmen and the cost of exotic wood and materials. The ‘Endymion’ cabinet held at the Victoria and Albert has been attributed to Jean Mace and dated c.1640. Mace was French but like many Frenchmen had trained elsewhere, in Antwerp, before moving to Paris in the 1640s. Decorated scenes from L’Endymion, a French romance based on the Greek mythological tale and written by Jean Ogier Gombaud in 1624, the influence of contemporary literature is an interesting feature explored in Th. H. Lunsingh Scheurleer, ‘Novels in Ebony’, Journal of the Warburg and Cortauld Institutes 19 1965, pp259-268. The scene to the left hand door depicts the tale of Marcus Curtius, a young Roman soldier. When a chasm opened up in the Roman forum the augurs were consulted; they declared that only by sacrificing Rome’s most precious thing could the chasm be closed. After offerings of treasure had no effect Marcus Curtius was struck with the inspiration that the most precious thing in Rome was the bravery of its soldiers and leapt fully armoured onto his horse and into the abyss. The spot is known as Lacus Curtius. The scene to the right shows the tale of Gaius Mucius. After the Tarquin family were ousted as kings of Rome they made attempts to re-take the city. Tarquin the Proud enlisted the help of an Etruscan King, Lars Posenna. They had Rome besieged when Gaius swam the Tiber to assassinate Posenna. His plan failed when he killed a paymaster in error. Brought before Posenna he was threatened with torture in order to reveal any more plots against that King’s life. When a brazier was brought forth he thrust his own arm willingly into the heat and showed no sign of the pain. He then revealed to the King that there were 300 more like him willing to give up their own lives to assassinate him. Posenna promptly freed him and left the siege. Tarquin the Proud had to give up any prospect of taking back his kingdom. There are thematic similarities of willing sacrifice for the greater good and furthermore both stories appear in Ab Urbe Condita, Titus Livius’ huge history of early Rome. Interestingly there is a connection with the literature of the day as there is with the Endymion cabinet. After his right hand was burnt away Gaius Mucius became known as Mucius Scaevola, scaevola translating roughly as ‘lefty’. ‘Scévole’ a retelling of his story was put on the stage in 1642-1643 and published in 1647 by the French dramatist Pierre Du Ryer (1606-1658). Du Ryer worked as a translator from Latin and Greek, was admired by Richelieu and elected to the Academie Francaise in 1646. It seems quite possible that interest in the tale of Gaius Mucius in 1640s Paris was the influence for the carved panels this cabinet’s doors.
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