English

circa 1785 - 1795

The rare George III satinwood cabinet from the Metropolitan Museum in New York is attributed to George Seddon & Sons of London.

The West Indian satinwood inlaid top section is crossbanded and ebony strung throughout, with the centre section featuring the original convex mirror plate, mounted and framed within the middle door. The polychrome decoration that adorns the four corners is complemented and flanked by capitals and columns with two further doors that open to reveal a single shelf, and to the front section retain neat gilt brass grills.

The top superstructure sits on a moulded plinth above bow fronted cupboard doors and one long main centre 'drop down' cupboard door. The frieze cupboard doors have been decorated with tightly carved and tapered purple heart spindles and fitted with Brahma locks. The solid purple heart spindles are made in the solid and when first made would have been incredibly bright against a bright yellow West Indian satinwood. It would have been a real riot of colours, however over the last 230 years, the item has mellowed. The timber and grain to the satinwood above the frieze is vivacious and of the best grade available.

The Bonheur du Jour is raised on four purple heart and boxwood inlaid tapered legs that stand on the original gilt brass caps and castors, affixed to a satinwood veneered shelf.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

The item reflects the sophistication in painted decoration commonly linked with the firm of Seddon, Son & Shackleton. George Seddon took his son-in-law Thomas Shackleton into the business around 1790 and they traded as Seddon, Son and Shackleton from 150 Aldersgate Street, at one point employing over four hundred men. The firm traded under different names, reflecting which family members were involved in the business; they were styled Seddon, Son and Shackleton for only eight years, from 1790 until Thomas Shackleton (George Seddon's son-in-law) left to go into partnership with George Oakley in 1798. The firm’s painted furniture is particularly well known from two surviving documented commissions, Hauteville House, St Peter Port, Guernsey (179*?) and Bridwell House, Dorset (1792-3). The Hauteville commission included a set of eighteen painted satinwood elbow chairs with three matching window seats (see 'A Catalogue and Index of old Furniture and Works of Decorative Art, Pt III', M. Harris and Sons, p.386-9) and the Bridwell commission, a satinwood card table and pair of pembroke tables, see C.Gilbert and G.Beard The Dictionary of English Furniture Makers 1660-1840, Leeds 1986, pp.796-7. Christopher Gilbert discusses Seddon, Son & Shackleton in his article for Furniture History, London, 1997, pp.1-29.

Dimensions

Height 122.00cm (48.03 inches)

Width 123.00cm (48.43 inches)

Depth 45.00cm (17.72 inches)

Stock No: 10806