English

circa 1825 - 1835

19th century George IV period mahogany side cabinet possibly made by George Seddon & Co.

The figured mahogany top retains a faded mellow colour with deep concave sides and architectural corbels surmounting the end columns with a carved gadrooned moulding to the under edge. The concave end panels with recessed thumbnail mouldings and crisply carved motifs of architectural form decorate the sides.

The two figured mahogany doors, with original gilt brass curtain rails, enclosing fine quality adjustable shelves with the original tooled leather dust borders.

The side cabinet is raised on a plinth base and the bookcase has been made with the finest selection of mahogany veneers.

The painted decorated cabinets are firmly associated with the firm of Seddon. In around 1790 George Seddon took his son-in-law Thomas Shackleton into the business and they traded as Seddon, Son and Shackleton from 150 Aldersgate Street. Painted furniture from this period is known to have been a feature of the firm's output thanks to two documented commissions: Hauteville House, St Peter Port, Guernsey (1790) 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, 1986, pp.796-7.) A pair of D-shaped polychrome decorated pier tables where Seddon was considered to be a possible maker were sold at Sotheby's The Leverhulme Collection, Thornton Manor, 23 June 2001, lot 186.

The firm of Seddon (1753-1868) was the largest furniture making firm in London in the last quarter of the 18th century, yet few labelled or documented pieces are known so it is difficult to typify a definition of the house style. It was remarked by Sophie von La Roche during her visit to Seddon’s showroom in 1786, that Seddon was, ‘constantly devising new forms’.

They had commissions for Charles IV of Spain, Windsor Castle and various country houses including Hauteville House in Guernsey and Bridwell house in Dorset. The company traded under many different names but used Seddon, Son & Shackleton from 1788 to 1798. The combination of elegant painted decoration and satinwood used in these cabinets is reflective of the company’s output in this period.
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.

Dimensions

Height 91.00cm (35.83 inches)

Width 153.00cm (60.24 inches)

Depth 32.00cm (12.6 inches)

Stock No: 11476