An exceptional George II period early 18th Century Architectural Cuban Mahogany Corner Cupboard

Object Description

An important and historic piece of early Georgian furniture attributable to Batty Langley
Acquired through an agent from a private source, in whose ownership and home this piece of furniture has rested since the 1920’s. Its remarkable state of preservation – even the carved foliate finial remains undamaged – would indicate this to have been only its second placement, certainly within the London Borough of Chiswick. To judge from its grandeur it was clearly made for a house or estate office of great significance and note, certainly that of a member of the cognoscenti. Despite at one time deriding the new Palladian architecture so favoured by Lord Burlington and his circle, Langley’s 1740 book of designs show cabinets in ‘Tuscan’ and ‘Dorick’ form with detailing comparative to that on this cupboard. These relate closely to his drawings for stonework and are well described in his comments on ‘Details of Cornices’ and ‘Draw Edges and Mouldings’ 1742.

Object History

At Mount Vernon George Washington relied upon plate 51 of Langley’s The City and Country Builder’s and Workman’s Treasury of Designs as the source for the famous Venetian (or Palladian) window in the dining room, upon plate 54 of the same book for the ocular window on Mount Vernon’s western facade and upon plate 75 of Langley’s The Builder’s Jewel for the rusticated wood siding.

Object Literature

At the time Batty Langley was an important and influential Freemason in London, and many of his books were dedicated to his Masonic brethren while Lord Burlington was a patron of many contemporary architects and designers.

Object Condition

Excellent and original throughout

Object Details