A REGENCY BRAZILIAN ROSEWOOD, INDIAN ROSEWOOD, SATINWOOD, BURR-YEW-CROSSBANDED, PARCEL-GILT AND GILT-COMPOSITION BREAKFRONT CABINET

This sophisticated side cabinet reflects the Regency interest in ancient Grecian design and the influence of George Smith's Collection of Designs for Household Furniture and Interior Decoration, 1808. The lion’s masks to the frieze and the large lion’s paw feet relate to a design for a sideboard by Smith (pl. 92) published in 1808, a copy of which is held by the V&A [29388:16]. The enlarged scale of the feet, in combination with the lion’s masks, also relates to the work of John Bellerby of York (1782-1827) who it is thought was the cabinet-maker responsible for a sideboard-table at Bramham Park, Yorkshire with similar features (illustrated in situ, A. Oswald, 'Bramham Park-II', Country Life, 27 April 1958, p. 402, fig. 6 and sold anonymously, Christie's, New York, 23 April 1988, lot 158). A writing-table, possibly by Bellerby was sold Christie’s, London, 18 November 1993, lot 187 (£58,700).
Gerald Coke (1907-1990) was a businessman who described himself as ‘a willing victim of the collecting bug’, with a passion for Handel and opera. He was a founder and Chairman of Glyndebourne Arts Trust for twenty-one years, a Director of the Royal Opera House and the Royal Academy of Music. Following his death The Gerald Coke Handel Collection was left to the nation in the care of the Foundling Museum and is considered to be ‘the most important private accumulation of Handelmania’. He and his wife’s collection of Royal Worcester porcelain was bequeathed to the Royal Worcester Museum. The contents of his Queen Anne home Jenkyn Place, Hampshire, including an impressive collection of Regency furniture were sold at Christie’s in 1996.