Attributed to GILLOWS OF LANCASTER & LONDON (1730-1903) - Receive artist alerts » - More items from this artist »

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Amboyna, ebony,

129.00cm wide    74.00cm high    64.00cm deep (50.79 inches wide  29.13 inches high  25.20 inches deep)

The founder of the Gillows dynasty, Robert (1704-1772) rose from humble beginnings as a provincial joiner, and evolved into a consummate businessman following a pursuit of excellence throughout his life.
Founding his business in 1730 he expanded his furniture making activities to include the direct import of quality West Indian timbers especially the finest mahogany. His talents as both a cabinetmaker as well as innovative designer brought him early success, and, bringing his two sons, Richard & Robert, into the business, he expanded his Lancaster showroom, to include another in London’s Oxford Street. The clientele now included the Government, the aristocracy and the burgeoning middle classes. His furniture had gained its’ reputation for excellence of workmanship, and materials employed, and coupled with his insistence on being at the cutting edge of design kept the company to the fore throughout its’ one hundred and seventy year history from 1730 until its’ amalgamation with Messrs S.J. Waring in 1900. Throughout this period it was the largest manufactory of furniture in England. The fortuitous survival of the Gillows records in their Estimate Sketch Books show over 20,000 designs and are preserved in the City of Westminster Library. Furniture made by Gillows is to be found in Royal collections and museums throughout the world. A scholarly two volume exegesis of the firm, ‘Gillows of Lancaster & London’ by Susan E. Stuart was published by the Antique Collectors Club in 2008.

A variant of a popular Gillows design, recorded several times in the Gillows Archives, held in the City of Westminster Archives, London, and may be seen in Susan Stuart’s Gillows disquisition, volume 1, page 339

Constructed in amboyna, with ebony stringing, and tulipwood cross banding; of kidney form, rising from a plinth base, having cupboard doors, each enclosing four interior drawers; three shaped drawers in the frieze, and with a tooled leather writing surface, and three shelves to the obverse. The Chubb fitted locks are stamped with the consecutive numbers 196333-7, dating to February 1849 and are marked 57 St Patent / 57 St. Paul’s Churchyard / London / Makers to Her Majesty.