The early Victorian period lacquer and chinoiserie decorated wine table or flower stand having a square top, stamped ‘Cripps, Kings Rd, Chelsea’ to the underside, the top decorated with a Chinese scene of a lakeside house, to a turned column and three outswept supports and surviving from the second quarter of nineteenth century England.
Unknown.
The stamp of ‘Cripps, Kings Rd, Chelsea’ to underside of top refers to John Cripps who worked from 11 Markham Place, Kings Road Chelsea, by Special Appointment to her Majesty Queen Victoria, and made Garden seats, flower stands (this being one), wirework and green houses.
The fine art of chinoiserie has been in existence since the 17th century, and it depicts Chinese style designs applied to furniture, ceramics and fabrics. Chinoiserie is wonderfully beautiful, and tends to depict realistic and fictitious animals, insects, people, foliage, structures and various other elaborate Asian designs that can be incorporated into a number of decorating themes. Antique pieces embellished with Asian-style chinoiserie and high-quality japanning are coated with baked-on layers that look very much like modern-day high-gloss enamel. Chinoiserie that has been japanned is coated with many layers of resin-based gloss and baked dry. Much polishing goes into the true technique of japanning, and high-quality pieces will appear to have deep layers of gloss with the sheen of fine marble, but true antique pieces like this will show signs of age and wear.
A very pretty table and one with a very interesting background, indeed, one can see this amongst the flowers and ferns, the wirework and the glass houses in the bustling Kings road shop.
The condition of the table is lived in but thoroughly evocative and she remains structurally sound. There are some expected deficiencies to the lacquer to note; and she now has a lovely crusty top with plenty of patination in the form of an even craquelure.
By appointment only.
