Page 108 - Sotheby's London Fine Japanese Art Nov. 2019

THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEM AN

107

A FINE LACQUER CABINET WITH pearl inlay and a more pictorial style with the of ceramics, often in three rows with larger
RARE SILVER MOUNTS designs mainly of landscapes, initially within pieces on the top row and smaller pieces on the
FORMERLY IN THE COLLECTION a border, but by the 1690s the border had bottom row (see image on page 109). This kind
OF THE DUKES OF DEVONSHIRE, disappeared and the pictorial element had of top-heavy arrangement was typical of the
CHATSWORTH taken over the whole surface as can be seen Baroque fascination with creating an element
here in the Chatsworth cabinet. As the style of of surprise. Stepped shelves were placed on
EDO PERIOD, LATE 17 TH CENTURY decoration changed with time so did the shape top of the cabinets with “the topp sett in silver
of furniture following European demands. guilt or edged at the topp with silver guilt”.
the rectangular cabinet with two hinged doors The full front of the Namban lacquers which Cabinets mounted in silver are extremely rare
finely decorated in gold and silver takamaki-e, followed the designs of esquitoire made for and the Chatsworth cabinet has remarkably
hiramaki-e, kirigane and nashiji on a black the Portuguese market gave way to two side- fine silver mounts. A pair of cabinets, now in a
ground with a village of thatched huts beneath opening doors with drawers. French private collection, with similar elaborate
trees beside a lake and a pagoda on a rocky silver mounts, formerly in the collection of King
outcrop, two doors opening to reveal various- The early trade in lacquer had been in the William III (1650-1702) and Queen Mary II, are
sized drawers each with landscapes of huts hands of Portuguese, but by the 1630s the accompanied by an invoice indicating that the
and temples amongst rolling hills and a boat Dutch East India Company had taken over the silver mounts had cost ten times the price of
on water, the elaborate silver fittings engraved trade in Japan. Cabinets and coffers formed a the lacquer. The elaborate silver fittings on this
with karakusa and the central lock plate with a major part of the lacquer trade until 1693 when cabinet, which are finely hammered, chased
tiger amongst bamboo and plum trees, on an it ceased abruptly. Demand changed and the and engraved, employ techniques used by the
th
English black Japanned stand (18 century) cabinet on stand grew out of fashion and so
130 x 72 x 45 cm., 51⅛ x 28⅜ x 17¾ in. the lacquer was often re-used. In 1694 Thomas Japanese sword fitting makers, such as nanako.
Rymell, Japanner, was paid for “Cutting ye The Chatsworth Inventory of 1764 records a
PROVENANCE
back out of two cabinets and new varnishing number of “India cabinets” upon frames in
It is possible that this cabinet is one of those the outsides.... and for cutting a large Japan the state dressing room, drawing room, the
acquired by William Cavendish, 4th Duke of chest and setting them into two tea tables”. Queen of Scotts large dressing room and in
Devonshire (d.1764) following the death of Queen Mary II (1662-1694) appears to have the bed chamber after that room. It is possible
George II in 1760, originally in the collection of earned herself rather a reputation for such that this cabinet is one of those acquired by
Queen Mary II. brutal treatment. In 1685 she was taken to task William Cavendish, 4 Duke of Devonshire (d.
th
The Dukes of Devonshire, Chatsworth. by her advisor Contstantin Huygens for having 1764) following the death of George II in 1760,
“sawed, divorced, cut, cliffed and slit asunder originally in the collection of Queen Mary II.
LITERATURE
and reduced to a heap of monstrous slivers and
The Duchess of Devonshire, Chatsworth: The splinters.....gilt and painted lackwork”. The black Japanned stand is designed in
House, (London, 2002), p. 94. “the Modern” Chinese fashion popularised
Queen Mary did much to popularise the by Thomas Chippendale’s, Gentleman and
There is an evolutionary sequence to stylistic collecting of Japanese and Chinese porcelain as Cabinet-Maker’s Director, 1754.
changes in Japanese export lacquer that can well as the rich and splendid lacquers supplied
be traced back with some accuracy. In the late to Holland and England at the end of the 17th For similar examples and a discussion
16th century the Namban style relied on pearl century. Lacquer was purchased in quantity on Pictorial cabinets without borders on
inlay and gold lacquer on a black ground (see for the closet and other rooms in the Queen’s doors, see Oliver Impey and Christiaan Jorg,
LOT 113). During the 17th century there was apartments. In addition to their decorative Japanese Export Lacquer: 1580–1850, (The
a progression towards a finer lacquer with no Netherlands, 2005), p. 132–134.
function, the cabinets were used for the display
‡ W £ 100,000-150,000
€ 113,000-169,000 US$ 125,000-187,000

Detail of lock plate
A view of Chatsworth House

106 Buyers are liable to pay both the hammer price (as estimated above) and the buyer’s premium together with any applicable taxes and Artist’s Resale Right (which will depend on the individual circumstances).
Refer to the Buying at Auction and VAT sections at the back of this catalogue for further information.