A harlequin set of eight first half 19th Century English country ash and alder ladder back chairs, with graduated shaped ladder backs between circular nipple tipped turned uprights, having rush seats with wooden edge protective strips, with round tops to the front legs turned below, terminating in a pad/bun foot. Front legs joined by heavy turned mirrored stretcher, with double turned stretchers to the sides. Both carvers having shaped outswept arms on turned supports.
Good overall blending of colours due to waxes, polishes and sun fade over the last 160 to 200 years.
A rare and unusual George III English Oak dresser base.
The two plank cross-banded and moulded top above an entirely cross-banded base having seven drawers with brass swan neck handles, enclosing two central panelled doors. When opened revealing a fitted interior of eight spice drawers around an arched recess and a central fruitwood shelf. Resting on the original ogee shaped bracket feet.
The overall colour and patination to this dresser are exceptional, something only approximately 250 years can achieve.
Note: One of the interior spice drawers was repaired mid 20th Century when around 200 years old. The proud cabinet maker signed his workmanship in pencil ‘Repaired by R.J.Hughes, Anglesey 11/11/49. Reminds me of when a teenage apprentice as a french polisher, when I would be putting a Victorian sideboard I had just finished restoring back together, I would always sign my name and date my work behind the carvings, before re-screwing to the backboard. I have, like R.J.Huges, always taken a lot of pride in my work.
Having been in the antique trade for 40 years, I have never seen a dresser quite the same. The interior fitted with a spice pantry is unusual, especially with the size of the drawers, as teas and spices were so expensive. The original Georgian steel key safely locked all away from the household staff.
Moving homes and changing furnishings has enabled me to release several rare and unusual pieces onto the market. Last week I sold the best early 17th Century English oak coffer/boarded chest in the Southern Hemisphere, as soon as offered.
It is hard parting with these beautiful rare pieces, however, I personally know they are truly going to other beautiful homes and will be enjoyed and appreciated as we have over the years.
Very Unusual 18th Century English Country Oak and Elm Low Dresser of Diminutive Proportions
The two plank moulded figured elm top, above two moulded drawers having brass fret-shaped handles.
With a shaped frieze, on square chamfered oak supports, running through the knotted elm pot board, terminating on square-block feet.
Wonderful overall colours and patination. C.1780.
Hanging above three framed 18th Century Elizabeth Blackwell botanical engravings 1735. Placed on the top – 19th Century English pewter charger with pears Pair of 19th Century Chinese fluorite carved floral with bird lidded vases and a large 19th Century Japanese Imari charger.
With a two plank moulded top above three fruitwood crossbanded frieze drawers having attractive early brass work, raised on baluster turned front legs.
Attractive 19th Century English Country Oak Pot-Board Low Dresser – AA2068
The well platinated two plank top, above a plain frieze, housing three drawers, with later but appropriate brasswork, Resting on turned uprights, joined to a planked pot-board,terminating on square block legs.
Note: Photographed when purchased. Still in need of minor repairs, a good clean and wax.
The well patinated rectangular top having a groove moulded plate support above three long and two short quarter moulded drawers, retaining the original oval brass stamped handles, flanking the classic Hepplewhite central bowed frieze. Resting on a square lower shaped leg, joined by rectangular end stretchers.Having fantastic overall faded colours and well patinated wax finish.
This design resembling a low boy.
Note: The beautiful single plank of oak as a back board
H: 80 cm W: 156 cm D: 47.5 cm
Information on the country Hepplewhite low dresser/sideboard;
The rise of the middle class cabinet maker in the 18th century brushed off the stilted and pedantic of the chippendale era and ushered in a new world of ‘elegance and simplicity of design’. There began a shift away from the traditional forms of furniture championed by the first wave of english furniture designed, widely felt to be derivative of its continental counterparts. The disseminated production and design processes led to a change in the character reflecting a growing sense of national identity in culture and art. The sideboard was one of these designs. It was created originally as a means of displaying china but fell into the english use of hiding large amounts of alcohol within easy reach of the dining table. it was said by contemporaries that the English ‘accustomed by habit or induced by the nature of the climate, took more freely to the bottle than their french counterparts’.
The design theorems that are displayed in this piece are characteristically of the post chippendale era, headed by the likes of Hepplewhite and Gillow’s. The phrases that sum up this movement, as portrayed in the publication of the time were a focus on the ‘simplification of form and the refinement of detail.’ Perfectly represented by the delicate touches and symmetry. This is a piece in the later form with drawers replacing what would have been cabinets. The stylistic developments are also to be seen in the stamped handles, in a semi neo-classical design pushed by english stamp metal production and distinctive in its simplicity in comparison to its continental counterparts. This piece lies in a bracket of time in which the purest form of this this style of furniture was at its heyday and its simple elegance transcends time.
The two plank moulded top above three moulded edge drawers over two conforming small end-drawers, having the original brass swan neck handles, within a scroll cut shaped apron, raised on cabriole legs with scroll-knees and pointed pad feet.
C. 1780
Having a rectangular top above three drawers with later but appropriate brass-work above a central arched cavern flanked by two clean square panelled doors, resting on a plain plinth base.
Note the medullary rays to the oak grain are from quarter sawing the oak cross grain to produce this magnificent look.
H. 2’ 8” – 81 cm W. 5’ 7” – 171 cm D. 1’ 6” – 42 cm
The open rack having a moulded and dentil cornice above a shaped frieze over four shelves, the lower-section with a boarded crossbanded top above a shallow central drawer with two short drawers, flanked by deep drawers, with crossbanded shaped apron, raised on three front cabriole legs, applied side panels.
A George III English oak and mahogany crossbanded dresser base.
Having a T-shape arrangement of mahogany crossbanded and cut corner cockbeaded drawers flanked to either side by a cupboard door composed of two pointed-ogee arched panels over a plain rectangular panel, triple panelled sides, on bracket feet.
The open rack with moulded cornice and scroll cut frieze above three shelves and four spice drawers flanked by scroll cut sides with unusual fretwork floral sprays, the lower section with a central moulded drawer above an arched fielded cupboard door embraced either side by a bank of three drawers and slender cut corner pilasters on bracket feet.
A mid 18th Century English country oak dresser base.
The three plank medullary rays grained top above applied shaped mouldings, having seven plain moulded drawers, surrounding a central Gothic panelled door and a reversed matching mould. Resting on ogee shaped bracket feet.
Having a plank top with moulded surround above three double framed mitre moulded frieze drawers, with panelled ends, raised on four turned front legs linked to the plain rear legs by plain end stretchers.
C. 1720
