Dreweatts 1759
Lot 318
A carved mahogany sofa, the ends early 19th century, possibly supplied by 'Mr. Bogaert' to Thomas Hope, in the form of winged monopodiae, 92cm high 77cm deep, possibly originally with ormolu mounts Provenance: Thomas Hope, Duchess Street, London Sold Humbert & Flint, The Property of the Honourable Lord Francis Pelham Clinton Hope, The Deepdene, Dorking, Surrey, 12-19 September 1917, lot 1059 (Etruscan Room) London Art Market [Richardson], 1960s Literature: David Watkin and Phillip Hewat-Jaboor eds., Thomas Hope: Regency designer, 2008, p. 377, No. 67 The present lot was probably supplied by 'Mr Bogaert' to Thomas Hope for the 'Third Room for Greek Vases' at Duchess Street. This bordered three of the walls, excluding the fireplace, and had just two ends of the design (see Thomas Hope, Household Furniture and Interior Decoration, 1807, pls. V and XXIX). A detail of the `End of the Sofa in the room, plate 5' is illustrated in pl. XXXIX, see figs. 6-15). The decoration included scrolling anthemions to the corner and to the front of the Greek key motif of the toprail - and there are shadows of these designs visible to the ends, of the design, indicating their former presence in applied carving, ormolu, or brass mounts as clearly shown in Hope, op. cit. figs. 6-15. The form of griffons in profile with exaggerated wings derives from antique thrones such as those illustrated in Charles Heathcote Tathams, Etchings, Representing the best Examples of Ancient Ornamental Architecture; Drawn from the Originals in Rome and Other Parts of Italy During the Years 1794, 1795 and 1796, London 1799, figs. 67-1. More accurate representations of the classical source can be found in Charles Percier and Pierre Fontaine's Receuil de decorations interieurs (1801 and 1812), pl. 6 and Hope op. cit. pl. 11, figs 2-8, Illustrating winged sphinx-headed 'stone seats' recorded in the Picture Gallery at Duchess Street. It is likely that Hope drew inspiration for these from the present lot. Little is known about Mr Boghaert, the only workman to whose industry and talent I [Hope]could in some measure confide the execution of the ... more enriched portion of my designs.
