Lot 32
A George II Irish carved mahogany kneehole secretaire writing cabinet in the manner of Christopher Hearn
11 March 2015, 14:00 GMT
London, New Bond Street£25,000 - £35,000
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A George II Irish carved mahogany kneehole secretaire writing cabinet
in the manner of Christopher Hearn
The swan-neck scrolling broken arch pediment carved with rosettes and centred by a spread eagle, above a frieze carved with riband tied swagged flowerheads and fruits, above a pair of cupboard doors with replaced mirrored bevelled plates enclosing two adjustable shelves and two short drawers, the lower part with a rounded rectangular top with moulded edges above a secretaire drawer enclosing a slide, a hinged quadrant stationery drawer, four compartments and four drawers above a shaped apron drawer and a recessed kneehole with three short drawers, flanked by three short drawers to each side on shaped bracket feet, eagle probably replaced, 102cm wide, 63cm deep, 240cm high (40in wide, 24 1/2in deep, 94in high).
The swan-neck scrolling broken arch pediment carved with rosettes and centred by a spread eagle, above a frieze carved with riband tied swagged flowerheads and fruits, above a pair of cupboard doors with replaced mirrored bevelled plates enclosing two adjustable shelves and two short drawers, the lower part with a rounded rectangular top with moulded edges above a secretaire drawer enclosing a slide, a hinged quadrant stationery drawer, four compartments and four drawers above a shaped apron drawer and a recessed kneehole with three short drawers, flanked by three short drawers to each side on shaped bracket feet, eagle probably replaced, 102cm wide, 63cm deep, 240cm high (40in wide, 24 1/2in deep, 94in high).
Footnotes
Literature:
The Knight of Glin and James Peill, Irish Furniture, 2007, possibly the same cabinet as p. 252, pl. 193, where the provenance stated as 'With Florian Papp New York'.
A related mahogany secretaire cabinet attributed to Christopher Hearn was recorded by Lady Elizabeth Cobbe at Newbridge House, Donabate, Co. Dublin in her account book of 1764 and is referred to as a 'bureau with Glass Doors 11.17.6. The Newbridge cabinet is illustrated in The Knight of Glin and J.Peil, Irish Furniture, Yale 2007, p.120, pl.163. Glin and Peil identify a small group of cabinets into which the Newbridge Cabinet fits including one at Adare Manor, Co.Limerick possibly made for Windham Quin (d.1789) which is discussed in The Knight of Glin and J.Hardy, The Adare Bureau-Cabinet and its Origins, Irish Arts Review, 1996, pp.168-169 and another at Birr Castle, Co.Offaly. Other examples that have passed through the salerooms include that from the collection of Sir William Fitzherbert believed to have been brought to Tissington Hall by George 'Fighting' Fitzgerald (d.1786) and left at the hall in lieu of monies owed and sold from the collection of Sir William Fitzherbert, Christie's London, 22 January 2009, lot 515. Other related cabinets include one sold Bonhams London, 6 March 2013, lot 52, another sold by the Reverend G.R Dampier-Bennett, Sotheby's London, 19 April 1974, lot 67 and another sold Christie's London, 4 July 1985, lot 93.
