Description: 18th
Century Tea Chest in harewood and burr yew, crossbanded in kingwood.
Circa 1790
Ref: 741TC http://hygra.com/box/741TC
This Tea Chest is artfully veneered in a
combination of woods, which mutually enhance the figure and colour of
each other. The striations of the harewood emphasise the dots of the
yew and the crossbanding imposes an extra control
which strengthens the whole composition.
The interior of the Chest has two lift-out lidded
canisters with sliding lids. This is most unusual in a box of such high quality.
Lift-out canisters, especially as intricate and complex as the outer
box, were usually made for chests with central expensive crystal
bowls. This is because the commissioning clients were rich and would
have wanted to show that they could afford the extra luxury of the
crystal. So why was this exceptionally well made chest made without
space for the bowl? The most likely reason is that it was commissioned
by a well to do client of impeccable taste, who also had a conscience.
By the late 18th century the anti-slavery movement was
beginning to infiltrate even the highest echelons of society and
people of wanted to make a point of not using sugar, which came from
the slave plantations.
The Chest makes the point all the more emphatically because is of the best possible quality and of impeccable aesthetic merit.
Origin: UK; Circa:
1790; Materials:
parquetry of harewood , burr yew, and kingwood on a mahogany carcass.
Size: 20.4 cm wide by 12 cm by 12.5 cm:
8 inches wide
by 4.7 inches by 4.9 inches.
Condition: good
overall; working lock and key; see images
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