England

circa 1760 - 1770

The stunning broken swan-neck pediment centred by a mahogany platform is supported by Thomas Bradshaw's trade mark open fret cornice, which is repeated to the sides and sits above a pair of astragal glazed doors and enclosing three original shelves. The star-shaped applied astragal moulding, with carved acanthus leaf decoration is of the finest quality. The rectangular moulded edge to the lower section has a highly figured mahogany veneered top. The four graduated drawers below are fitted with later Chinese rococo brass handles, back plates and matching escutcheons. The bold blind fret carved bracket feet stand proud and finish off a really good piece of 18th Century English furniture.


The display cabinet has identical feet and swan-neck pediment as a labelled bureau bookcase illustrated in C.Gilbert, 'Pictorial Dictionary of Marked London Furniture 1700-1840' plate 150 & 151, p.119, which was offered by Bonhams London on 16 July 2008, lot 59.

Thomas Bradshaw is listed in G.Beard & C.Gilbert 'Dictionary of English Furniture Makers 1660-1840' p.99 as at 10 St.Paul's Churchyard 1754-75. He subscribed to Chippendale's Director, 1754.

See also Sotheby's, 30 June 2004 for a George III mahogany linen press, Circa 1760, attributed to Thomas Bradshaw and another with identical pierced bracket feet sold Sotheby's New York, 10 November 1973, lot 141. A related unattributed bureau cabinet, formerly with Hotspur, was sold at Christie's, Important English Furniture, 6 July 2000, lot 150. A secretaire bookcase with pierced cornice and blind-fret bracket feet, almost certainly attributable to Bradshaw and formerly with French & Co., New York, is illustrated in F.Lewis Hinckley 'Metropolitan Furniture of the Georgian Years' 1988, p.138, Ill.212.

Dimensions

Height 239.00cm (94.09 inches)

Width 109.00cm (42.91 inches)

Depth 57.00cm (22.44 inches)

Stock No: F479