11th Feb, 2025 10:00
Holkham | The Attic Sale
99
A Regency giltwood fire screen in the manner of Thomas Chippendale the Younger
first quarter of the 19th century, the uprights with Egyptian herm finials and carved with stylised harebells, holding an adjustable frame enclosing a pile fabric panel, probably Savonnerie, depicting a golden pheasant and parrots in a wooded landscape and indistinctly signed, raised on splayed end supports united by a shaped anthemion and rosette-carved stretcher, and terminating in claw feet and castors,
65cm wide
55cm deep
152cm high
This is almost certainly one of the pair illustrated in the Drawing Room and the Green State Room at Holkham in H A Tipping and C Latham, 'English Homes', 1909, pp.394 and 396 respectively.
In Holkham's archives, the earliest possible mention of the pair of fire screens is in an 1842 inventory, described as 'two carved and gilt fire screens, embroidered centres'. In the 1909 inventory, they are described as 'Aubusson pile tapestry, exotic birds after Buffon' and both were together in the South Dining Room at this point.
Further still, the 1967 inventory mentions 'A Regency gilt framed cheval fire-screen, in the Egyptian taste...the rectangular panel filled with parrots and a golden pheasant in a wooded landscape in Savonnerie pile fabric signed ‘Cant’ the screen bearing a trade label inscribed to Jo [sic.] Smith, apprentice and successor to the late Mr Harewood [sic.] of Conduit Street, carver and gilder and looking glass and picture frame maker'. In 1794, John Smith was apprenticed to William Hurwood (fl.1780-92), carver and gilder of 18 Conduit Street, London, for a premium of £20 ('A Memoir of the author [John Smith] by his grandson', 'Connoisseur', 1903, vol.5, p.214). He set up in business soon after the end of his apprenticeship in 1801. His early trade label simply described him as 'J. Smith, Carver & Gilder, Looking Glass Manufacturer, and Picture Frame Maker, 98 Swallow Street, near Conduit Street' (example on John Hoppner's 'George IV as Prince of Wales', Wallace Collection, London).
The pile fabric panel of exotic birds was probably based on a cartoon made for the Savonnerie manufactory in Paris, based on a similar panel housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. The panel, attributed to Thomas Moore (c.1700-1788) was - according to the museum - woven in England and probably by Thomas Whitty (1713-1792) at Axminster (accession number 64.101.1155).
£5,000 - £8,000
Buyer's premium: 30.00% (inclusive of VAT, where applicable)
Condition Report
Small areas of loss to the gilding the carpet panel in good order, free from damages and still in strong colour, small areas of loss to the gesso harebells, chips to the feet, adjustable sash mechanism opporational.
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Auction: Holkham | The Attic Sale, 11th Feb, 2025
Sworders are honoured to present Holkham | The Attic Sale. Under the instruction of Thomas Edward Coke, 8th Earl of Leicester, this once-in-a-lifetime auction marks a historic first for the Norfolk estate and will showcase over 400 treasures from the storerooms, attics, and cellars of the great Palladian house.
The sale is led by a group of Roman marble fragments collected by the 1st Earl on his grand tour, as well as several 18th- and 19th-century plaster busts. Other highlights include a Louis XV Gobelins mythological tapestry and a Republican Sèvres porcelain 'beau bleu' dessert service, which sit beside an array of Victorian china, clocks, and plenty of furniture, blending high-value pieces with more accessible items to capture the spirit of the classic ‘attic sale.’
Printed catalogues are available to pre-order here.
Condition Report Requests: Please note that due to restricted access to the sale lots, any enquiries will not be dealt with until week commencing Monday 3 February 2025. Your patience is appreciated.
Viewing
Sale Location
The auction will take place at Holkham Hall, Wells-next-the Sea, Norfolk NR23 1AB.
Viewing
Viewing will be held at Holkham Hall, Wells-next-the Sea, Norfolk. Use the postcode NR23 1RH to enter Holkham via the north gates.
Entrance by catalogue only, admits two, includes parking.
Friday 7 February, 11am - 3pm
Saturday 8 February, 11am - 3pm
Sunday 9 February, 11am - 3pm
Monday 10 February, 11am - 3pm
All lots are, however, extensively illustrated and carry detailed condition reports - see 'Condition report' at the foot of each lot description.
Condition Report Requests: Please note that due to restricted access to the sale lots, any enquiries will not be dealt with until week commencing Monday 3 February 2025. Your patience is appreciated.
Accessibility
Holkham Hall aims to accommodate all accessibility needs where possible. Full details about access are available here
Refreshments
Available from the Courtyard Cafe
Friday 7 - Monday 10 February, 10.30am - 3pm
Tuesday 11 February, 9.30am - 5pm
Full Terms & Conditions relating to our auctions can be found here
Sorry, we cannot calculate a pre-sale automated shipping cost due to the items weight/size.
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Buying a pre-loved, antique, or vintage item not only provides you with unique style and value for money but it also helps to reduce landfill, and the annual emissions of an antique or vintage piece can be as little as one sixteenth of those of its new equivalent!
Sworders is proud to be supporting the work of Antiques are Green - the movement that was founded in 2009 to promote “a greener future created from the past”. Read their fascinating carbon footprint study of a Georgian chest of drawers versus a modern equivalent here
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