Side table
Category
Furniture
Date
circa 1675
Materials
Carved and ebonised softwood, japanned decoration and possibly Coromandel lacquer (top)
Measurements
77.5 x 97 x 65.2 cm
Order this imageCollection
Ham House, Surrey
NT 1140053
Summary
A side table, circa 1675, possibly Dutch, decorated with "bantamwork" incised in red, green and white on a black background. The top is decorated with an oriental landscape scene with figures and houses within a floral border. The moulding around the edge is decorated with motifs of dragons, flowers and scrolls. The frieze fitted with a drawer mounted with two brass handles, decorated with a scene of two figures, birds and flowering branches. The "broken" scrolled legs are joined by a serpentine X-shaped stretcher, on bun feet. This table is thought to have been part of a set with a pair of candle-stands and a mirror, listed in the inventory of 1679 in the Withdrawing Room. The lacquer is described by Peter Thornton as : "an exceptionally fine example of incised japanning" but it is still uncertain whether the top is a high-quality European imitation of Coromandel lacquer or a Chinese lacquer, intentionally made as a table top for export.
Provenance
Possibly listed in the Ham House's inventory of 1679, in the Withdrawing room: "One table & pr of stands & Looking glasse of Japan" Acquired in 1948 by HM Government when Sir Lyonel, 4th Bt (1854 – 1952) and Sir Cecil Tollemache, 5th Bt (1886 – 1969) presented Ham House to the National Trust, and entrusted to the care of the Victoria & Albert Museum, until 1990, when returned to the care of the National Trust, and to which ownership was transferred in 2002.
References
Thornton and Tomlin 1980 Peter Thornton, and Maurice Tomlin. “The Furnishing and Decoration of Ham House.” Furniture History, The Journal of The Furniture History Society Vol.XVI, 1980, fig.77