拍品专文
This cabinet is branded with the so-called JG-stamp, which is composed of the crowned coat-of-arms of the city of Amsterdam, flanked by the letters J and G, for Josefs Gilde, the ancient Amsterdam cabinet-maker's guild. This stamp was employed following a decree by the Amsterdam city council, dated 29 January 1771, which put a ban on the import of foreign furniture. This influx of furniture from abroad, primarily from France, had in fact grown to such large proportions that it posed a threat to the livelihood of local cabinet-makers. The guild of furniture-makers subsequently issued numerous official complaints, which resulted in the 1771 ban. In order not to harm the tradesmen who had invested in the much sought-after foreign items of furniture, the city council ruled that they were permitted to sell their pieces for another three months, provided that these were branded with the JG-stamp. The decree was mainly aimed against the import from France and most items of furniture which bear the JG-stamp are indeed French late Louis XV or early Louis XVI pieces, which had probably only recently come to Holland. However, a few Dutch pieces have been identified, which are similarly branded. Among these are two small commodes in the French style, with simple veneers, marble tops and ormolu mounts, which must have seemed entirely French to the officials who applied the stamp. The present display-cabinet is more puzzling as it is one of the rare items of stamped furniture of unmistakably Dutch appearance, which presumably indicates that it was made outside of Amsterdam. (R.J. Baarsen, 'French furniture in Amsterdam in 1771', Furniture History 29 (1993), p. 159 and pp. 166-168)