the marquetry decoration of early 18th century ... - Irish Arts Review

THE MARQUETRY DECORATION OF
EARLY 18TH CENTURY IRISH FURNITURE
T he study of Irish fumiture is slowly
evolving. Research into makers'
names, trade labels, and the scanning of
Dublin newspapers is proving that there
was a very extensive and flourishing fur
niture trade in Dublin and other cities
such as Cork and Limerick in the eigh
teenth and nineteenth centuries.'
Hitherto it has always been difficult to
identify particular pieces of furniture with
a known maker or place of origin; but by
assembling a photographic archive of fur
The Knight of Glin
niture and woodwork it becomes possible to group together exam
ples which have stylistic or technical similarities in common and
one's ultimate hope is to discover a named or documented piece
which will lead to the identification of the maker of an entire
group. The fumiture archive at Glin Castle, Co Limerick is now
sufficiently extensive to afford this type of research but, neverthe
less, I am always interested in receiving any information about
individual furniture makers or photographs of unusual and excep
1. WRMING CABINET. Walnut with marquetiy decoration. Irish, c. 1720. (Art
Institute of Chicago). This cabinet is similar in its marquetry detailing to that
illustrated in Fig. 1 and it is fairly certain that the marquetry brackets supporting
candleholders which flank the superstructure on this piece would originally have
been a feature of the Dean Swift cabinet as well.
examines some
elaborate Irish walnut
cabinet work
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IRISH ARTS REVIEW
tional examples with the intention that
all be brought together between covers in
the not too distant future.
As long ago as 1956, the distinguished
furniture historian, R W Symonds, was
the first to note the similarities between
three early eighteenth-century walnut
writing cabinets inlaid with marquetry.2
These similarities suggested to him that
all three were the product of the same
workshop and, as one of the cabinets is
said to have belonged to Dean Swift,
Symonds proposed that the workshop was Irish. To Symonds's
original nucleus of three I am able to add further cabinets in a
similar style and suggest at the same time that a games table, a
superb marquetry commode, and other pieces might also be
added to the group. As two of these additional items have a defi
nite Irish provenance, Symonds's contention that the group origi
nated in Ireland is further substantiated.
The trio of cabinets published by Symonds included one in the
2. WRITING CABINET. Walnut with marquetry decoration. Irish, c. 1720.
(Whereabouts unknown). Even more elaborate in its marquetry decoration than
the cabinets illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4, this cabinet, additionally, has ball finials
on the candleholder-brackets. As long ago as 1956 these three cabinets were
published as likely to have been by a single, probably Irish, maker.
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THE MARQUETRY DECORATION OF EARLY 18TH CENTURY IRISH FURNITURE
Victoria & Albert Museum (Fig. 4), another now in the Art
Institute of Chicago (Fig. 1), and a third the present whereabouts
of which is unknown (Fig. 2). The walnut writing cabinet in the
Victoria & Albert Museum3 is said to have belonged to Dean
Swift. It has a base with niche-shaped fronts to the
drawers and a mirrored superstructure composed with
Corinthian fluted pilasters and elaborate marquetry
decoration below the pilasters.
The more elaborate example now in Chicago4 has a
similar mirrored superstructure but is complete with
marquetry decorated brackets supporting candlehold
ers flanking this upper stage. It seems likely that the
V&A example had similar brackets although they are
now missing.5The pedestal of the Chicago desk is
expansively composed, with moulded serpentine
drawer fronts on either side of the arched knee hole.
Symonds's third example (Fig. 2),6similar to the
other two, has straight-fronted drawers, bracket feet,
and a pilastered mirrored upper stage flanked by
exaggerated spiral decorated marquetry brackets ter
minated with ball finials. The candleholders are
attached with escutcheons on the front of the brack
ets identical to those in the Chicago example.
The distinctive marquetry inlay on all these cabi
nets as well as other features, particularly the deco
rated brackets for candleholders, allow one to identi
fy other examples which most probably originated
from the same workshop. The first is a cabinet from
the Watney collection at Cornbury7 (Fig. 3) in
Oxfordshire which appeared on the market in 1967.
The pedestal has niche-shaped drawers similar to
those in the V & A cabinet as well as the by now
familiar spiral-decorated brackets with ball finials;
but here there are no candleholders. A new dimen
sion is portrayed by the upper stage, which is sur
mounted by a swan pediment with rosettes centred
by a marquetry inlaid shell. The marquetry and bead
ing relate closely to the previous three examples.
A variation on the overall design of these cabinets
can be seen in the red walnut bureau cabinet now at
Florence Court, County Fermanagh (Figs. 5 & 6).
Here the pedestal with its drawers is abandoned and
is superseded by an elaborate pull-out desk with a ris
ing top on a ratchet. The desk is splendidly decorat
ed with carved shells and broken cabriole legs termi
nating in Spanish feet. The mirrored doors have also been jetti
soned in favour of shaped panelled doors. The swan-necked
pediment with its carved rosettes is inlaid with seaweed mar
quetry incorporating Commedia dell 'Arte figures centred with a
grotesque mask (Fig. 6). It would appear that this probably sup
ported a further piece of decoration such as a shell. The usual
brackets with marquetry decoration flank the upper stage. Brass
candleholders have been recently been added to this desk
although it is unlikely that they would ever have been there as
there were swivel brass candlestands underneath the desk top
3. WRITING CABINET. Walnut with marquetry decoration. Irish, c. 1720. (Formerly Oliver Watney
collection, Combury Park). The design of this cabinet, with serpentine drawer fronts in the
pedestal, is similar to the Dean Swift cabinet but the swan-neck pediment with rosettes,
providing scope for further marquetry decoration, adds a new dimension to the overall effect.
and there would have been no need for both sets. The carving of
the lower section of this cabinet is very Irish in character.
A very similar desk to this one appeared on the London mar
ket in 19909 (Fig. 7). The elaborately carved acanthus-decorated
frieze is centred with a shell and fantastical twin-headed dog or
fox-like animals with curly tails lead down to the legs with their
4. (Opposite). WRITING CABINET. Walnut with narquetry decoration Irish, c. 1720. (Victoria & Albert Museum). It is alleged that this cabinet once belonged to Dean Swift, a
provenenance which would suggest that its maker was Irish. The distinctive marquetry detailing which is the subject of this article is found on the panels below the pilasters
and also on the uprights of the desk section.
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IRISH ARTS REVIEW

5. BUREAUj CABrNET. Red walnut with vnarquen-y decoration. Irish, c. 1730-40. (Florence Court, Co Fermanagh, Collection of the National Trust). The pedestal section of this
cabinet, the carving on which is particularly Irish, is in the form of an elaborate pull-out desk with a rising top on a ratchet. As there were swivel brass candlesticks underneath
the desk-top, it is unlikely that there would ever have been candleholders on the flanking marquetry brackets. Ball finials, such as in Figs 2 and 3, would have been likely.
38
I R ISH A R TS R EV IE W

THE MARQUETRY DECORATION OF EARLY 18TH CENTURY IRISH FURNITURE
6. MARQUETRY DECORATION in the pediment of the bureau cabinet illustrated
in Fig. 5. In a notable advancement on the use of marquetry, the pediment
section of this cabinet has been used as a field for the most superb
decoration with seaweed marquetry, Commnedia dell' Arte figures and a
theatrical mask on the central panel which, almost certainly, would
originally have supported a feature such as a shell or a crest.
7. SIDE TABLE. Mahogany with marquetry decoration and marble top. Irish,
mid-18th century. (Private collection, Dublin). Marquetry detailing is at
its simplest on this table where a scallop shell flanked by acanthus is used
to decorate the apron. In some examples a marquetry crest is placed in the
same position.
Spanish feet. The desk pulls out and the top rises on a ratchet.
Again the doors are panelled rather than mirrored. Swivel
candlestands of brass appear undemeath the rising top (as in the
previously described example) and the marquetry acanthus-deco
rated spiral brackets appear not to have had any balls or candle
holders. The upper section is surmounted by a rather diminutive
swan pediment which encloses very large spiral decoration similar
to the decoration of the Watney cabinet (Fig. 3).
The last example of this obviously related group of bureau
8. ARCHITECT'S WRITING TABLE AND CABINET. Mahogany with narquetry decoration. Irish
mid-18th century. (Private collection). Similar in form to the desk illustrated in Fig. 5,
but with profuse carved decoration on the pedestal section, this cabinet also features the
by-now familiar marquetry pediment.
39
IRISH ARTS REVIEW
cabinets is the plainest of them all. It was found in a house sale in
1992 at Stackallan, Co Meath'" (Fig. 12). Again as in the exam
ple in Fig. 5, a pullout desk, with a fitted interior and a set of
nine drawers below, supports a rising top with a ratchet; the swiv
el candleholders, now missing, were obviously similar to those in
the Florence Court cabinet as shaped places for them show that
they must have been fitted undemeath the top of the desk. The
acanthus-decorated brackets are terminated with balls similar to
those in other examples (see Figs. 2, 3 and 12) and it seems likely

9. GAMES TABLE. Walnut with narquetry decoration. Irish, mid 18th century. (Private collection). The marquetry work on this table is very extensive with a shell on the front of
the box above the chessboard, further decoration on the legs and on the surface of the candlestands which, in turn, fold down to form part of the embellishment of the sides.
10. THE BLESSIlNrOTN COMMODE. Walnut with marquetry decoration. Irish, c. 1745. (Private collection). This exceptional piece, profusely covered in seaweed marquetry, is
inlaid on the top with the arms of William Stewart, 5th Baronet of Ramelton, 3rd Viscount Mountjoy, and Earl of Blessington. Although the marquetry is very much in the
manner of Gerrit Jensen, it is here suggested that the commode is Irish.
40
I R ISH A R TS R EV IE W

1 1 .WRrrING CABINET. Mahogany with mnarquetty decoration. Irish mid- 18th century. (Pnivate collection, Belfast) .This cabinet with marquetry pilasters in the fitted desk
and in the pediment, is an example of how such decoration was employed on plainer examples of Inish furniture by the mid- 18th century suggesting the possibility that
specialist craftsmen may have supplied such details to other cabinetmakers.
41
I R ISh1 A R TS R E VIE W

THE MARQUETRY DECORATION OF EARLY 18TH CENTURY IRISH FURNITURE
that there were no further candle
marquetry decoration flanking the
holders, the ones below the desk top
arms incorporates masks very simi
sufficing. The superstructure is quite
lar to that centering the pediment
plain with panelled doors; the base
of the Florence Court cabinet (Fig.
has elegantly composed scrolled legs
5). The whole surface of the com
and faceted club feet, very typical
mode is overloaded with this Gerrit
for Irish fumiture of this period.
Jensen-like decoration, which
The marquetry decoration on
seems very old fashioned for the
these cabinets leads me to identify
mid-century. This piece is now in a
another relatively plain piece of fur
private collection in Ireland.
niture as relating to the group. This
The whole of this quirky group
is a turnover-top walnut games
shows a lively provincial flavour.
table which appeared on the New
Although we have no documenta
York market in 199311 (Fig. 9). The
tion about who made these pieces,
backgammon board is concealed in
it seems not unlikely that they were
the box of the table which itself is
the work of some French or Dutch
inlaid with a marquetry shell. The
craftsmen, possibly Huguenot.
cabriole legs are beautifully inlaid
They may have worked in a Dublin
with marquetry and decorated with
workshop of the period with other
little inlaid curls under the cabriole
Irish carvers and cabinet makers
legs themselves. An ingenious
who, of course, provided the carv
touch is that the candlestands snap
ing and casework. It is interesting
down to the side and form part of
to note that in the past some of
the moulded decoration of the
these pieces have been called
sides. It is certainly the finest Irish
Anglo-Dutch.
games table so far known.
Other marquetry details such as
To substantiate the claim that
crests, cartouches, shells, and finials
this group of fumiture, linked as it
appear on other plainer pieces of
is by marquetry decoration, is Irish
I am suggesting a similar origin for
a magnificent seaweed decorated
12. SECRETAIRE CABINET. Walnut with marquety decoration. Irish,
mid-18th century. (Private collection, formerly Stackallan House,
Co Meath). Although very plain in appearance, this cabinet is rela
tively sophisticated in its cabinet work with a pull-out desk, a rising
Irish walnut and mahogany furni
ture (Figs.7 & 11)." This would
suggest that marquetry detailing
bombe commode'2 which was
recently sold on the London mar
top supported by a ratchet, and nine fitted drawers in the interior
of the pedestal. The marquetry decoration is limited to the candle
holder brackets with ball finials. The facetted club feet are very
would have been provided by a
marquetry specialist for any crafts
ket (Fig. 10). It bears the grandilo
typical for Irish furniture of this period.
man who fancied additional orna
quent coat-of-arms of William
mentation on his pieces.
Stewart, 3rd Viscount Mountjoy, who was later created the first
Earl of Blessington. The marquetry achievement bears an Earl's
Would that we knew more of the identity of these craftsmen!
coronet enabling us to date it between the creation in 1745 and DESMOND FITZGERALD, THE KNIGHT OF GLIN, has written and
the Earl's death in 1769 although it was most likely commis lectured extensively on Irish art, architecture and the decorative arts.
sioned at the time of his step in the peerage. The Berainesque He is President of the Irish Georgian Society.
1. See Desmond Fitzgerald, Knight of Glin,
'Dublin Directories and Trade Labels',
Furniture History, XXI (1985), ppl 15-32; 'Early
Irish Trade Cards and other Eighteenth
Century Ephemera' Eighteenth Century Ireland,
II, (1987) pp.115-132; 'A Directory of the
Dublin Furniture Trade 1752-1800' reprinted
by the Irish Georgian Society, Dublin 1993,
from A Bemelle (?d.) D?cantations A Tribute in
Honour of Maurice Craig, Dublin 1992, p.47-59.
2. RW Symonds, 'Dean Swift's Writing Cabinet
and Two Others' The Antique Collector, Vol.
27, No. 7, April 1956, pp.60-63.
3. Accession No. W 32-1912. James Yorke of
the Dept. of Furniture & Woodwork at the
V &. A assisted my researches.
4. Accession No. AIC 57 200, Gift of Robert
Allerton. See Meyric Rogers, The Art Institute
of Chicago Quarterly, Vol LI, No. 4, November
15, 1957, p.85.1 am indebted to Lynn
Springer Rogers, late of the European
Decorative Arts Dept., for assistance in looking
at this piece and for access to her files. Also to
Ian Wardropper for additional help.
5. Information from the late John Hayward of the
Victoria & Albert Museum to the author. The
veneers on the side surfaces of the cabinet,
where the brackets would have been, have
been replaced, which supports this supposition.
6. Sold from the Collection of Billy Rose, Parke
Bernet, New York, 22 April, 1967, lot 87 and
then with Stair & Company, New York, 1967.
7. Christie's, Combury Park, 22 May 1967, lot 147.
8. Christie's, Croxton Park, 20 September 1982.
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IRISH ARTS REVIEW
See also ApoUo, Vol. CXLI, No. 399,
Nov. 1995, p.74.
9. Sotheby's, Nov. 1990, lot 279, now in a
private collection in Wiltshire.
10. Christie's, Stackallan House, 20 October
1992, lot 100.
11. Christie's New York, 9 October 1993, lot 319.
12. Sotheby's, London, 2 June 1995, lot 12.
13. For instance, a bureau bookcase in a private
collection in Belfast has a
scallop shell
centering its swan
pediment and a goat crest in
a cartouche (Fig.l 1). A red walnut marble
sidetable in a Dublin collection has a
topped
wyvern crest in a cartouche on the friezes, a
further sidetable in another Dublin collection
has a scallop shell with flanking acanthus on its
frieze (Fig.7).