An extremely fine William and Mary Cabinet on Stand

Reference No.: 2

Date: 1710

Category: Furniture

Location of Origin: Europe / England

Price: 53000

Medium/Materials: Olive Wood

Dimensions: 62in (h) x 43in (w) x 20in (d)

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Description: An exceptional oyster veneered William and Mary Cabinet on Stand with a very rate and exuberant line inlay on the front panels, possibly from the London cabinetmaker Hugh Granger but certainly from an important cabinet maker for a prominent family house. While oyster cabinets are fairly common, ones containing veneering of this quality are quite rare and highly desirable.

The cabinet contains one large drawer and 16 smaller drawers concealed behind the front cabinet doors.

An almost identical cabinet sold at Sothebys April 24th 2008 in the "TOM DEVENISH: THE COLLECTION - HIGHLY IMPORTANT ENGLISH FURNITURE" for $73,000

Provenance: Private London Collection

Additional Information: The William and Mary period is formally from around the time that William III and Queen Mary II ruled, which was from 1689 to 1702 in England. When William Prince of Orange in Holland accepted the invitation to the throne of England he brought with him Dutch influence which later became an important element in the design of English furniture. As such the stylistic period lasted somewhat later into 1710/1720 as it later diffused into the general English public. The style came after the Queen Anne style to which it is similar but it also adds Netherlandish taste.

Traditionally, cabinets on stands were designed to contain papers or collections of curiosities. The 'oyster' veneers in this cabinet are made from olive wood which, due to its distinctive figure, was much sought after by cabinet makers in England and Northern Europe. Although not native to these regions, it is native to the Mediterranean region and was often imported for furniture veneers in the late William and Mary period of the late 17th and early 18th century.