English Boulle Style Olivewood Cabinet

Collection / Cabinets

A William IV Cabinet Attributed to Town & Emmanuel

A William IV Cabinet Attributed to Town & Emmanuel

Dimensions: H: 46 in / 117 cm | W: 33.5 in / 85 cm | D: 17 in / 42 cm

Enquire Add to Favourites Remove from Favourites

DESCRIPTION LITERATURE

Constructed in a strongly grained olivewood, and dressed with brass inlays and an etched & engraved brass panel; rising from a plinth base, the lockable single door having an inset panel in the manner of Jean Berain, enclosing a shelved interior, and flanked by narrow vertical conforming panels; the apron being dressed with three bronze rosettes, and the Jura Jaune marble is dressed with a three quarter arcaded brass gallery.
Circa 1830

The cabinet is illustrated and discussed in Christopher Payne’s “British Furniture 1820 to 1920” published in 2023. Payne singles out the rarity of the olivewood timber used as well as the necessity for hand cutting the large marquetry panel.

Literature:

Payne, Christopher. British Furniture 1820 to 1920 : The Luxury Market. ACC Art Books, 2023, pp. 38-39 (illus. fig. 1.33).

Town and Emanuel

Recorded in the ‘Dictionary of English Furniture Makers 1660-1840’, published by the Furniture History Society, as being situated at 103 New Bond Street between 1830 and 1840, and apart from being manufacturers of furniture, also dealt in ‘curiosities and antiques’. The late renowned connoisseur Christopher Gilbert records in his ‘Pictorial Dictionary of Marked London Furniture’ London 1997, also published by the Furniture History Society, a writing table in the Transitional manner with similar plaques. Their label reads ‘Town and Emanuel, manufacturers of Buhl Marquetrie, Resner (sic) & Carved Furniture, tripods, screens & c. of the finest and most superb designs of the Louis 14th. Splendid cabinets and tables inlaid with fine Sevres and Dresden china &c. old paintings and bronzes, carvings, oriental and other china, jewellery & curiosities bought and exchanged. Buhl and antique furniture repaired. By Appointment to Her Majesty’.

They supplied a bureau plat to Queen Adelaide, wife of William IV, their label bearing her coat of arms and being recorded in E.T. Joy’s ‘English Furniture 1800-1850’. This piece is reported in the V&A archives, as having been sold by Sotheby’s in July 1948. A porcelain inset occasional table from the Duke of Beuccleuch’s collection was sold in 1948 by Christies, a fine pair of commodes with the label were with the Butchoff Collection in 2006.

REF No. 8761

Recently viewed