Object Description
This is a superb antique Art Deco Burr Walnut Cocktail Cabinet and Sideboard attributed to Harry and Lou Epstein complete with crystal glassware, C1920 in date.
The cabinet has wonderful burr walnut veneers and features a shaped form with a hinged central lift up lid to the raised central cupboard above a fluted bow front. The fluted central doors opening to reveal a mirrored and shelved interior with a useful glass slide over a drawer. These are flanked by cupboard doors enclosing an internal drawer and a shelf to each. The cabinet is raised on a decorative ‘U’ shaped stand.
The crystal glassware includes:
6x liqueur glasses
6x sherry glasses
6x port glasses
4x tumblers
2x cognac
6x wine glasses
Nut dish
2x Decanters
Complete with the original working locks and keys.
It is a delightful piece which with its timeless Art Deco lines works well with contemporary interiors.
Condition:
In excellent condition having been beautifully cleaned, polished and waxed in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation.
Dimensions in cm:
Height 113 x Width 178 x Depth 59
Dimensions in inches:
Height 3 foot, 8 inches x Width 5 foot, 10 inches x Depth 1 foot, 11 inches
Epstein furniture
was originally founded in East London by Polish immigrants in the 1890s. The firm passed to brothers Harry and Lou Epstein and the pair turned their attention to the production of Art Deco forms from the 1930s until the 1950s.
Finished to high standards, most pieces were custom-made in veneers of burr maple, sycamore or walnut. The design of the famous ‘cloud’ seat furniture is credited to Epstein and the company also popularized the uniquely British taste in suite furniture.
Following World War II, Epstein had showrooms in London, Manchester and Glasgow. A conservative Art Deco style became the company`s trademark after the war and most pieces were made from bleached walnut. Art Deco pieces are not signed.
From the 1960s, some pieces were labelled ‘H. & L. Epstein’ or ‘Epstein & Goldman’.
Art Deco or Deco,
is an influential visual arts design style which first appeared in France during the 1920s, flourished internationally during the 30s and 40s.
It is an eclectic style that combines traditional craft motifs with Machine Ageimagery and materials. The style is often characterized by rich colours, bold geometric shapes, and lavish ornamentation.
Deco emerged from the Interwar period when rapid industrialization was transforming culture. One of its major attributes is an embrace of technology. This distinguishes Deco from the organic motifs favored by its predecessor Art Nouveau.
Historian Bevis Hillier defined Art Deco as “an assertively modern style…[that] ran to symmetry rather than asymmetry, and to the rectilinear rather than the curvilinear; it responded to the demands of the machine and of new material…[and] the requirements of mass production”.
During its heyday Art Deco represented luxury, glamour, exuberance, and faith in social and technological progress.
Burr Walnut
refers to the swirling figure present in nearly all walnut when cut and polished, and especially in the wood taken from the base of the tree where it joins the roots. However the true burr is a rare growth on the tree where hundreds of tiny branches have started to grow. Burr walnut produces some of the most complex and beautiful figuring you can find.
Our reference: A1928