An Important George I Black-Japanned and Parcel-Gilt Desk and bookcase circa 1720

in two parts, the upper section with a broken arched pediment mounted with finials and centered by a finial above a pair of doors fitted with stellate-etched and beveled mirror plates and opening to a black- and red-japanned interior fitted with arched doors above valenced pigeonholes and a mirrored prospect door opening to a shelf above a drawer, flanked by secret document drawers fronted by fluted pilasters, further flanked by folio slides all over small and long drawers, with two candle slides above the lower section with a fall-front opening to a leather-lined writing before a mirrored prospect door flanked by secret document drawers fronted by fluted pilasters, valenced pigeonholes, small and long drawers, all over two short over two long graduated drawers, raised on bracket feet; one larger secret drawer with series of calculations in red japanning; decorated all over with chinoiserie scenes, the fall with figures and geese. Decoration refreshed in places and with a glossy surface, one mirror plate replaced, finials later.

Possibly offered for sale, Sotheby Parke Bernet, New York, June 29-30, 1979, lot 168 (described in the catalogue as green/blue lacquer bureau bookcase)

Florian Papp, New York

Overall good restored condition; the finials replaced; the decoration refreshed in places and now with a later clear lacquer on top to keep japanned decoration stable - though much of the original paint still is intact and is evident by the tiny craquelure under visible under the lacquer; the left mirror plate to the upper section replaced, but the color of the glass matches very well to the right mirror plate; some old worm damage to tops of broken pediment; underside of each foot with a later block, some of the facings appear to have later blocks at bottom; some old worm damage to feet and blocks, the front apron appears to have a large loss to the center where it appears there was a deeper apron at the center, now lost; overall with some small chips and nicks to japanned decoration; much of the gilded decoration refreshed; the interior of the drawers and the interior of the upper section of the case with a later red wash.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Although England had established a number of trading connections with China in the early 17th century, these became virtually non existent in 1637 when the Dutch were granted exclusive rights to this trade. The English merchants, who were already somewhat constrained by the rise of Cromwell and the Commonwealth, were therefore forced to deal with their Dutch Rivals. After the Restoration of Charles II, trade, both with the East and Europe, increased dramatically, introducing new and exotic wares including those decorated with lacquer. These were also introduced to the new court by Charles's retinue including his wife Catherine of Braganza, John Evelyn noting in his diary on June 9, 1662 that 'The Queen brought over with her from Portugal such Indian cabinets as had never before been seen here'. The Queen's dowry also included the Indian port of Bombay, which rapidly became one of the East India Company's major trading posts, its charter having been renewed by Charles II in 1672. The trade in lacquered wares increased dramatically after this date, cargos carried by the merchantmen Sarah, Martha and Dorothy being valued at £150,000. The goods included such items as 'fans, trunks, inlaid tables, panels in frame, painted and carved for rooms, Tables, not inlaid and Board for screens' (Huth op.cit). It is also recorded in 1688 that a Captain Dampier was aware of another captain who took a joiner with him to China, together with a quantity of deal boards 'to make fashionable Commodities to be lacquered', and in 1672-3 the East India Company sent over 'several artificers to the east to teach Indians how to manufacture goods to make them vendible in England'. Furthermore, in 1684 the factor of the Company in Tonkin was informed that 'we have Sent you to help fill up your Ship some quantity of Joiner ware to be lacquered there'. It should be noted that the description Indian did not always refer to that country, but also encompassed China and the whole region, geographical knowledge being somewhat uncertain at that time.

Naturally this huge interest in Chinese lacquer, which had been described by John Nieuhoff in 1644 as being made to 'shine and glister like Looking-glasses' attracted many imitators. As early as 1663 Samuel Pepys recorded in his diary on May 23 that he visited a man called Greatorex who had invented a varnish that appeared 'every whit as good, upon a stick which he had done, as the Indian'. In 1688 John Stalker and George Parker published a fascinating work entitled A Treatise of Japaning and Varnishing which was 'a compleat Discovery of those Arts. With The best way of making all sorts of VARNISH for JAPAN WOOD, PRINTS, OR PICTURES', and 'Above an Hundred distinct Patterns for JAPAN-work, in Imitation of the Indians, for Tables, Stands, Frames, Cabinets, Boxes, &c.'. They refer to the Chinese fashion as an art 'very much admired by us', and include in their volume, obviously addressed to both the professional and amateur worker, full instruction and recipes for creating japanned finishes in imitation of eastern lacquer. By 1695 professional japanners had established themselves as 'Patentees for lacquering after the manner of Japan', advertising a lottery of 'cabinets, execrators, tablets, stands, looking glasses, tea tables, chimney pieces, etc.' This unusual manner of selling their goods was possibly occasioned by the extreme rivalry which had arisen between them and the East India Company, which finally led to the Company to withhold permission for the private trade in gum lacca. In 1701 they petitioned Parliament to suppress imports of lacquer wares, declaring that 'Many of the Artificers in the same Art and Mystery have brought it to so great a Perfection as to exceed all manner of Indian lacquer'. Although Parliament did indeed impose higher import duties, this did not actually improve the situation of the English craftsmen who discovered that the East India Company immediately found new markets in Spain and Portugal, countries with which they already had extensive trade. Although japanned wares are often mentioned in existing late 17th century accounts, due to the fragile nature of their surfaces, few have survived which can be dated with some certainty, or ascribed to a definite maker, such as a desk-and-bookcase signed W. Price 1713, which was sold in these rooms, April 7, 2004 lot 250 ($411,200).

The form of the present bookcase illustrates the pinnacle of a design which had gradually evolved during the late 17th/18th century from the early form of a moveable desk in the form of a box with a rising sloping lid which was used as a book or paper rest. This form was described in 1584 as 'a little holowe desk lyk a coffer, whereupon men do write', and was commonly fashioned in oak which was occasionally painted, covered in leather or carved. In the late 1670s this form is found on a fixed stand, the hinges on the slope being reversed to enable the inner 'slope' to be used as a writing surface which was supported on extending lopers. By the late 1690s this form of desk was fitted below with drawers, and by the early 1700s the first 'desk-and-bookcases' appeared. As can be seen in the present piece, which is constructed in two distinctive parts, one can still clearly discern the origins of the design.

The actual description 'desk-and-bookcase' appears to be first recorded in the accounts of the Royal cabinet-maker Gerrit Jensen (fl.1680-d.1715) who supplied several for the Royal Household from 1710 (Bowett, op. cit.), and another described as 'a walnut writing desk, the top for books and patons and glass in the doors asked' for the 5th Earl of Salisbury, Hatfield House. Another maker of this form of desk was the London cabinet-maker John Gumley (1691-1727) who advertised in Richard Steele's Lover on April 24 1714 that he 'hath taken for a Ware-house, and furnished all the upper Part of the New Exchange in the Strand' continuing with an extensive list of his stock including 'Desks and Bookcases'. In 1714 he supplied one of these in walnut to James Ist Duke of Montrose for the sum of £11.

See:
Adam Bowett, Early Georgian Furniture, 1715-1740, Woodbridge, 2009, pp. 54-93
Geoffrey Beard and Christopher Gilbert, Dictionary of English Furniture Makers 1660-1840, Leeds, 1978, p. 716
Hans Huth, Lacquer of the West, Chicago, 1971
R. W. Symonds, 'A Japanned Desk-and-Bookcase', Country Life, February 13, 1948, pp. 332-333, figs. 1-5