A REGENCY CABINET ATTRIBUTED TO HENRY HOLLAND

8/14/2019 A REGENCY CABINET ATTRIBUTED TO HENRY HOLLAND

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L O N D O N N E W Y O R K


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A REGENCY CABINET ATTRIBUTED TO HENRY HOLLAND

An early 19th century rosewood and parcel-gilt display cabinet of grandproportions in the manner of Henry Holland; the superstructure comprising

a glazed double door cabinet now lined with silk with showcase lining, with a

gilded pediment, sitting on a white shaped marble top under which are two

drawers and a further two cupboard doors, now with silk lining, the whole

standing on unusual gilded turned feet.

England, circa 1805

Height: 100 in (254 cm)

Width: 54 in (137 cm)

Depth: 18 in (47 cm)

LITERATURE:

Huon Mallalieu, The Illustrated History of Antiques, Quarto Publishing plc,

London, 1991.

Frances Collard, Regency Furniture, Antique CollectorsClub Ltd, 1985.

F2H0353


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HENRY HOLLAND (1745-1806)

Henry Holland was one of the leading English Georgian architects who

designed interiors and furniture in both the French and the Greco-Roman

styles and therefore a key gure in the introduction of late 18th century

French Neo-classicism into English furniture design. After studying

architecture, he became the partner of Lancelot Capability Brown in 1771

whose daughter Bridget he married and with whom he built Claremont

House in Esher, Surrey (1771-4).

Hollands relationship with Capability Brown introduced him to a wide

and inuential circle of patrons, who in turn brought him to the notice ofGeorge, Prince of Wales. Estranged from his father (George III), and with

a complicated personal life which led him into severe debt, the Prince

Regent nevertheless had new homes designed in London and Brighton

for which he commissioned furniture from the leading English and French

cabinet-makers.

The drawing room at Carlton House as illustrated in Thomas SheratonsCabinet-Maker and Upholsterers Drawing Book(1793).


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Holland designed Brighton Pavillion in 1787 and there is a 30,000 invoice

from Holland for work done at Carlton House including a new wing, hall,

staircase, lodges and stables. The drawing room at Carlton House was

illustrated in Sheratons Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterers Drawing Book

(1793), where two shelved side-tables and two pier-tables have been

identied as designed by Holland in 1790. These furnishings have survived

and are now in Buckingham Palace.

The English aristocracy, led by the fun-loving Prince Regent, keenly followed

the fashions in Paris. A dwarf cabinet designed by Holland illustrated below

may be closely related to commodes by the Parisian benistes Claude-

Charles Saunier (1735-1807), Jean Henre Riesener (1734-1806) and German-born Adam Weisweiler (1744-1820). The French inspiration is shown in

the richly gured veneers, delicate ormolu mounts, gilded columns and

marble tops.

A dwarf cupboard designed by Holland, circa 1800 , illustrated in HuonMallalieu, The illustrated History of Antiques, Quarto Publishing plc, London,1991, p. 59.


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Holland evolved an elegant Neo-classical style to rival that of Robert

Adam, as can be seen at Brookss Club, 60 St James Street, London (1776-8).

Holland designed a number of country houses, including BerringtonHall, near Leominster, Herefordshire (1778-81). He was also responsible

for the remodelling of Woburn Abbey, Bedfordshire (1787-1802) for

the 5th Duke of Bedford, including the entrance portico (demolished),

the conservatory (later the sculpture gallery) and Chinese dairy along

with the remodelling of Althorp, Northamptonshire(1787-9), for the

2nd Earl Spencer (including cladding the building with mathematical

tiles) and alterations at Broadlands, Hampshire (1788-92) and Southill,

Bedfordshire (1796-1800).

One of a pair of chiffoniers at Southill illustrated inFrances Collard, Regency Furniture, Antique CollectorsClub Ltd, 1985.


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Samuel Whitbread inherited Southill in 1796 and commissioned Holland

to transform and redecorate the house and also to acquire furniture for

it. This was a project worked on intensively by Holland and which can beconsidered as his most complete work, as he was responsible, not only for

the architecture, but also for the interior design and that of the furniture.

At Southill, the Anglo-French style of early Regency furniture is typied by

several low marble topped cupboards and bookcases that were probably

made from Hollands designs by Royal cabinet-makers Elward, Marsh and

Tatham of London (active 1774-1840).

A rosewood commode designed by Henry Holland from Mrs.Whitbreads Room, Southill, illustrated in Frances Collard, Regency

Furniture, Antique Collectors Club Ltd, 1985.


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The overall feel of this cabinet, the distinctive feet, and the contrast between

the dark rosewood and the gilt mouldings relate closely to the furniture

at Southill.Hollands work shows two distinct styles; the chinoiserie style,which can be seen in his work for the Prince of Wales at Carlton House and

Brighton Pavilion and his Francophile Classical style. He often used French

cabinet-makers and had a long standing association with the marchand

mercier, Dominique Daguerre. As an architect, he was inuenced by French

sources, notably Pierre Patte and Marie-Joseph Peyre, but he did use Greek

elements in his designs.

Cabinets such as the one currently offered by Mallett often had doorslined with pleated silk and sometimes as here, the door frames contained

wire grilles. Rosewood was a popular wood with cabinetmakers during the

Regency period, when timbers employed were dark in order to show off

the nished brass and ormolu mounts to maximum effect. The type of

rosewood used derives from the Brazilian blacktree or Dalbergia Nigra,

now a highly endangered species. It is of a slow growth and can reach

heights of eighty feet with a base diameter of ve feet. The distinctive

black streaks are created by close growth rings within the rosewood. The

wood is hard and uniform in texture, which gives the nished piece a

smooth and lustrous look.

The architect Charles Heathcote Tatham was closely associated with

Holland and was sent by him to make drawings in Rome of Classical

architecture to be used at Carlton House. Holland died at a time when

Classicism had re-established itself and in the year following his death,

this style was continued under Thomas Hope and his publication in 1807

ofHousehold Furniture and Interior Decoration.


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Mallett has been fortunate enough to handle the sale of thiscabinet once before in the 196os. Mallett Archive.


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MALLETT & SON (ANTIQUES) LTD141 New Bond StreetLondon W1S 2BSTelephone: +44 (0) 20 7499 7411Fax: +44 (0) 20 7495 3179

MALLETT INC929 Madison Avenue, at 74th StreetNew York, NY 10021Telephone: +1 212 249 8783Fax: +1 212 249 8784

www.mallettantiques.com

A REGENCY CABINET ATTRIBUTED TO HENRY HOLLAND

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