Cabinet on stand
Category
Furniture
Date
circa 1660 - 1675
Materials
Cocus, oak, deal, brass, silvered glass, giltwood
Measurements
149 cm (H); 114.5 cm (W); 48 cm (D)
Place of origin
England
Order this imageCollection
Powis Castle and Garden, Powys
NT 1180814
Summary
A cocus wood cabinet on stand, English, circa 1660-1675. The upper section with a pair of frieze drawers above a pair of cupboard doors, enclosing a fitted interior of drawers around a cupboard door, enclosing a mirrored interior with further small drawers. With two further drawers below the cupboard doors and another to the stand. Raised on bobbin turned legs tied by stretchers and bun feet. Some alterations to the brass work and stand.
Full description
The cabinet and stand is veneered with cocus wood, a hard, dense wood with a dark brown heart and yellow sapwood, often referred to, erroneously, as laburnum. It was imported from the West Indies and was known as West Indian ebony. It was used as a cabinet wood in Britain between 1660-1740. The design of this example is derived closely from French examples and shares similarities to a pair of cabinets in the Royal Collection (RCIN 35297), made for Queen Henrietta Maria 1663-1668. Another similar cabinet at Ham House (NT 1139922), (Exhibition; Geffrye Museum 'Furniture After the Fire' Winter 2002/2002). (James Weedon, March 2019)
Provenance
Recorded in 1944 Inventory as ‘A 3ft 6in acacia wood cabinet of Queen Anne design interior fittings panelled doors 4 drawers with brass escutcheons attached to table stand fitted drawers 5 ball supports and flat stretchers' in Her Ladyship's Sitting Room (Duke's Room). Accepted by HM Treasury on 21st March, 1963 in lieu of tax and conveyed to National Trust ownership on 29th November 1963.
References
Macquoid, Percy, -1925 dictionary of English furniture : 1924-1927., Vol.3, p.188, fig.10. Bowett, Adam - 'Myths of English Furniture History: Laburnum Wood Furniture', Antique Collecting, June 1998, pp.22-23 Bowett 2002: Adam Bowett, English Furniture 1660-1714, 2002, pp. 42-43