A GEORGE III MAHOGANY, SATINWOOD AND MARQUETRY BONHEUR DU JOUR

IN THE MANNER OF JOHN COBB

细节

A GEORGE III MAHOGANY, SATINWOOD AND MARQUETRY BONHEUR DU JOUR
In the manner of John Cobb
Inlaid overall with floral sprays of roses and pearwood and ebonised lines, the shaped rectangular top above a glazed door, flanked by a door to each side, above three small drawers, the lower section with a serpentine top above a secretaire-drawer enclosing a fitted interior with a green baize-lined hinged writing-surface, on square tapering cabriole legs and foliate brass caps, the drawers lined with cedar
43½ in. (110.5 cm.) high; 37 in. (94 cm.) wide; 18 in. (46 cm.) deep

拍品专文

This elegant form of lady's secretaire with case for poetry-books etc. has been called a 'bonheur du jour' by Parisian ébenistes since around 1770. Its 'poetic' inlay of rose-sprigs and laurels, relates to French-fashion marquetry introduced to London in the reign of George III, by inlayers such as Christopher Fuhrlogh (d. circa 1787) of Tottenham Court Road. A related secretaire, but with the 'commode' sections of its 'case' flanking an open bookcase, is at Dunham Massey, Cheshire. The latter is likely to have been acquired by Harry Grey, 5th Earl of Stamford (d. 1819) following his inheritance of the estate in 1768, and has been attributed to John Cobb (d. 1778), cabinet-maker to King George III (J. Hardy and G. Jackson-Stops, 'The Second Earl of Warrington and the Age of Walnut', Apollo, July 1978, p. 21, fig. 22).
A similar bonheur du jour was sold by The Szeben-Peto Foundation, in these Rooms, 13 November 1997, lot 96.