AN AESTHETIC MOVEMENT EBONISED AND PARCEL-GILT SIDE CABINET

Whilst the introduction to P. ten-Doesschate Chue and M. Donnelly's monograph, Daniel Cottier: Designer; Decorator; Dealer (London, 2021) states that the Cottier house style evolves over time it seems unlikely that this was produced by the firm as suggested in Peter Rose's records as it does not hold any clear stylistic resemblance to the firm's distinctive oeuvre as illustrated by Donnelly (see lots 39 & 40 in this sale). Although, given the Glasgow provenance, and the sophistication of the design and quality of the execution, it is easy to see why this tentative attribution might have been given, especially a the creation of this cabinet would coincide with the early part of Cottier's career. It would also appear that Rose made subsequent tantalising discoveries not recorded on the index card associated with this cabinet in his archive, as the images (illustrated) of an unidentified mansion and its interiors, showing a suite of these cabinets fitted, were amongst his papers accompanied by correspondence where attempts were being made to trace the identity of the house via various clues from the images. Unfortunately, the origin of the photographs is not recorded and it seems that Rose did not succeed in solving the mystery, what is clear, however, is that the images record a highly developed, sophisticated and coherent scheme bridging the Reformed Gothic and Aesthetic Movements which was clearly designed by someone of the standing of Daniel Cottier, John Moyr Smith or Christopher Dresser or their circle.