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Lot 581
A GEORGE III PASTE-SET AND SILVER-MOUNTED ORMOLU DRESSING TABLE MIRROR WITH AUTOMATON AND MUSICAL MOVEMENT
ATTRIBUTED TO JAMES COX, LONDON, CIRCA 1775
Closed23 October 2022
Price Realised
USD 63,000
More Information
Specialist note
JAMES COX AND HIS LOTTERY OF 1775
James Cox (1723 - 1800) operated as a jeweler and goldsmith from his London premises at Shoe Lane, off Fleet Street. He was perhaps more in the style of a Continental marchand mercier as he also acted as agent for a number of Swiss watchmakers. His entrepreneurial nature led him to purchase the Chelsea Porcelain Factory from Nicholas Sprimont in 1769, only to sell it the following year to William Duesbury's Derby concern.
The St. James's Chronicle of 27-29 August 1772 reported that a shipment of 'English Toys' had been refused entry to China and had returned to London. This appears to have been the impetus behind Cox's opening of a ‘Museum’ at Spring Gardens, Charing Cross, where the paying public could view his stock in trade. It was in the kunstkammer tradition and such private museums of curiosities were much in evidence at this period; such as Sir Ashton Lever's 'Leverian' (opened 1775) and later William Bullock's 'Egyptian Hall' (opened 1811). Cox's Museum ceased in 1775 when the contents were sold via a Public Lottery.
This unusual toilet-mirror seems to correspond exactly with the description of one included in James Cox's lottery, 'The Several Exquisite and Magnificent Pieces of Mechanism and Jewelry' from his Museum in Spring Gardens. The description reads:
'Piece The Fifth A Musical Chime, with mechanical movements It is contained within a richly ornamented pedestal, which stands on feet of jeweler's work; on every side, within frames of jeweler, are figures, animals, and other pleasing objects in progressive motion: the pedestal supports an elegant toilet dressing glass, and on the back of the glass is a concave magnifying mirror; the glass turns on a swivel so that either side may be used at pleasure, and is calculated to adorn the commode of the greatest personage'. Pieces 'the Sixth, Seventh and Eighth' were similar (probably identical) examples.
DAISY FELLOWES
Along with a number of other pieces in the Getty collection, including a whimsical Russian armchair, Nijinsky's portrait by Blanche, and the superb chandelier by Galle, among others, this chair was once in the collection of the Hon. Daisy Fellowes (née Marguerite Séverine Philippine Decazes de Glücksberg, 1890-1962), a renowned society figure and celebrated fashion icon and tastemaker. Her apartment at 69 rue de Lille was decorated by Georges Geffroy (1903-1971), the prominent Parisian society decorator, who designed the interiors for the Hôtel Lambert for Baron Alexis de Rédé in 1948 and also the renowned Parisian apartment of Loel and Gloria Guinness, later owned by Nelia Barletta de Cates at 18 Avenue Matignon, among many others.
James Cox (1723 - 1800) operated as a jeweler and goldsmith from his London premises at Shoe Lane, off Fleet Street. He was perhaps more in the style of a Continental marchand mercier as he also acted as agent for a number of Swiss watchmakers. His entrepreneurial nature led him to purchase the Chelsea Porcelain Factory from Nicholas Sprimont in 1769, only to sell it the following year to William Duesbury's Derby concern.
The St. James's Chronicle of 27-29 August 1772 reported that a shipment of 'English Toys' had been refused entry to China and had returned to London. This appears to have been the impetus behind Cox's opening of a ‘Museum’ at Spring Gardens, Charing Cross, where the paying public could view his stock in trade. It was in the kunstkammer tradition and such private museums of curiosities were much in evidence at this period; such as Sir Ashton Lever's 'Leverian' (opened 1775) and later William Bullock's 'Egyptian Hall' (opened 1811). Cox's Museum ceased in 1775 when the contents were sold via a Public Lottery.
This unusual toilet-mirror seems to correspond exactly with the description of one included in James Cox's lottery, 'The Several Exquisite and Magnificent Pieces of Mechanism and Jewelry' from his Museum in Spring Gardens. The description reads:
'Piece The Fifth A Musical Chime, with mechanical movements It is contained within a richly ornamented pedestal, which stands on feet of jeweler's work; on every side, within frames of jeweler, are figures, animals, and other pleasing objects in progressive motion: the pedestal supports an elegant toilet dressing glass, and on the back of the glass is a concave magnifying mirror; the glass turns on a swivel so that either side may be used at pleasure, and is calculated to adorn the commode of the greatest personage'. Pieces 'the Sixth, Seventh and Eighth' were similar (probably identical) examples.
DAISY FELLOWES
Along with a number of other pieces in the Getty collection, including a whimsical Russian armchair, Nijinsky's portrait by Blanche, and the superb chandelier by Galle, among others, this chair was once in the collection of the Hon. Daisy Fellowes (née Marguerite Séverine Philippine Decazes de Glücksberg, 1890-1962), a renowned society figure and celebrated fashion icon and tastemaker. Her apartment at 69 rue de Lille was decorated by Georges Geffroy (1903-1971), the prominent Parisian society decorator, who designed the interiors for the Hôtel Lambert for Baron Alexis de Rédé in 1948 and also the renowned Parisian apartment of Loel and Gloria Guinness, later owned by Nelia Barletta de Cates at 18 Avenue Matignon, among many others.