Y A PAIR OF REGENCY ORMOLU-MOUNTED ROSEWOOD AND PARCEL-GILT CHIFFONIERS

Y A PAIR OF REGENCY ORMOLU-MOUNTED ROSEWOOD AND PARCEL-GILT CHIFFONIERSCIRCA 1805-10, ATTRIBUTED TO JAMES NEWTON, THE BASES ORIGINALLY DECORATED TO SIMULATE PORPHYRYEach with rectangular grey bardiglio marble top mounted with a single-tier mirror-backed superstructure with pierced three-quarter gallery and on trellis-filled and turned end-supports, the frieze centred by a flowerhead mount flanked by stylised anthemia, on turned part-reeded front supports with lotus-leaf head and foot, the pilaster back-supports linked by a mirror, on plinth base, lacking three back pilaster mouldings and the X-frame brass gallery to one end, the front-supports previously part-bronzed122cm high, 117cm wide, 38cm deep Provenance: Commissioned for St. James's Square, London by George Byng Esq. M.P. (d.1847) and by descent. Two Late Regency Collectors Philip John Miles and George Byng 1815-45, Christie's, London, 9 June 2005, lot 48. Purchased from the above sale by Robert Kime on behalf of Tim and Virginia Hoare (£19,833) Literature: St. James's Square 1847 Inventory, 'LARGE DRAWING ROOM a console table on rosewood plinth carved and gilt legs & pilasters statuary marble slab & silvered plate glass back -2 pier tables to correspond with console' These bookcases were originally supplied by Newton with pier mirrors and a corresponding narrower bookcase en suite, all of which are listed first in the 1847 Inventory above. The narrower bookcase remains in a Private Collection.Designed in the French-Grecian manner popularised by Thomas Hope's Household Furniture and Interior Decoration, 1807, these plinth-supported and mirror-backed bookshelves, with reeded-columnettes and galleried superstructure, relate to patterns for 'Chiffoniers' and 'Drawing Room' pier tables published in George Smith's Collection of Designs for Household Furniture, 1808, pls. 114 and 122. The flowered palmette and columnettes relate to Hope's patterns for a pedestal and a candelabrum illustrated op. cit., pls. XXI and XXII.An almost identical pair of chiffoniers, labelled by James Newton and Son, 63 Wardour Street, Soho, was sold from the collection of Maureen, Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava, at Christie's, 25 March 1999, lot 320 (£28,750), whilst a further pair of side cabinets almost en suite was sold at Christie's London, 21 April 2005 lot 209 (£36,000). Established in Wardour Street in the late 1780s by James Newton Senior, the firm of James Newton and Son specialised in the production of Regency furniture in the latest 'Grecian' taste, and their clients included the Earl of Exeter at Burghley House, Lincolnshire and the Lords Brownlow at Belton House, Lincolnshire. Newton's work is discussed by Giles Ellwood, 'James Newton', Furniture History Society Journal, 1995 (pp.128 - 205).Condition Report: Marks, knocks, scratches, and abrasions commensurate with age and use. Some old splits and chips. The tops and superstructures could be associated to the bases. The bases are later black painted (they were probably originally painted to simulate porphyry or were veneered). The paint has some flaking, chips, and losses. Rubbing and spotting to the surface of ormolu and gilt metal elements. Some mounts may be later associated. The mirror plates with the expected depletion, sparkle, losses, and grey areas.Mirror plates are possibly old replacements. The marble tops with chips and nibbles to the edges. Some rubbing, flaking, chips, and losses to parcel gilt elements. Elements have been re-gilded and re-freshed at some point. One chiffonier with some minor evidence of old worm to the underside of the top. Later screws securing backboards. Please refer to additional images for visual reference to condition. Condition Report Disclaimer