A VERY FINE REGENCY PARCEL GILT AND POLYCHROME JAPANNED AND PENWORK CABINET c. 1820

A very fine Regency Parcel-Gilt Polychrome Japanned and Penwork Cabinet circa 1820 having a top with canted sides decorated with penwork over a cabinet with two doors with two drawers beneath the doors. Ht. 34”,  Width, 31”, Depth 18 1/8” 

Related to several cabinets on the basis of decorative style and motif, the most prominent being a cabinet on stand sold for $88,000 by Sotheby’s Oct. 17, 2014 in the Kentshire Sale, previously selling to Kentshire Antiques for GBP 78,000 in The Legend of Dick Turpin Sale at Christie’s, March 9, 2006. 

The incredible freshness and viability of the given decoration is extraordinary in this cabinet as virtually no in-painting was necessary in the restoration process. Penwork is the process of applying India ink decoration to a japanned surface and the borders and feet are all dichromatic. The panels, however, are polychromatic and done in vivid colors, which you will find in the known portfolio of this maker’s work, notably the blue pagodas, the brightly robed people and colorful flowers. Such designs could be found in Ackernann’s “Repository of Arts” published in London between 1809 and 1828.

There is a two door cabinet on stand that reputedly has a pencil inscription on the reverse of the central inner door, “Made by George Wimpear in the employ of Mr. Loudon, December 6th 1821”. That piece sold at Sotheby’s on Nov. 22, 1985 (Lot 13) Another cabinet by this firm has sold twice, most recently at Christie’s, London on November 27, 2003 (Lot 55). Another cabinet similar to it was in a Canadian collection and now is with a dealer in New York.