SIDNEY H. BARNSLEY (FOR KENTON & CO.) | Vitrine Cabinet on Stand

Lovely quality. Very minor scratches to original glass and understandably this piece is not fitted with safety glass. Mahogany base to cabinet. Arlington Conservation sticker. Ready to place.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Kenton & Company was a short lived workshop producing work of superb quality, it closed in 1892 after just a year¹. Reginald Blomield, Mervyn McCartney, William Lethaby, Ernest Grimson and Sidney Barnsley were the designers behind the firm. Work by them was shown at the Arts & Crafts Exhibition Society in 1891 resulting in £700 of sales, although this did not halt closure (Frances Collard, 'Kenton & Co.', The Decorative Arts Society Journal, vol. 20, 1996 pp.29-33). All of their pieces, in true Arts and Crafts tradition, were stamped with not only Kenton & Co. but with name of the designer and cabinet maker, in this case an A. Thorn.

^{1. See W. R. Lethaby, Ernest Gimson, His Life and Work, 1924, p. 6 for more on Kenton & Co.}