Decorated with assorted figures, animals, flowers and exotic birds, the double domed top above a pair of shaped panelled doors, enclosing a blue interior with one shelf, over a fall enclosing eight pigeon holes and one door, with lopers below, above three long drawers.
The most important lacquer workshop in Germany was that of Gerard Dagly, established in Berlin in 1686 at the court of Brandenburg. In 1692, Elector Frederick III of Brandenburg paid Dagly 200 talers for a cabinet done in white and gold to be presented to Elector Johann Georg of Saxony on the occasion of his wedding. Two years later the Elector of Saxony died and was succeeded by Augustus II (the Strong) Elector of Saxony, (1670 – 1733). Inspired by the Dagly piece he set out to make Dresden a major cultural centre and having created a large collection of East Asian Lacquer and porcelain he wanted to expand it with locally made Japanning. In 1705 Martin Schnell who had worked for Dagly in Berlin was presented to Augustus and displayed some of his lacquerwork and was hired as court lacquer-master with the task of establishing a workshop equipped to execute large orders of Lacquer. Augustus commissioned Schnell to re furbish three palaces, a Japanese Palace (1716-1717), an Indian palace at Pillnitz (1722-23), and a Turkish palace which was completed in 1719. Schnell worked not only for the King but for a number of the King’s favourites, including Count Bruhl and Count Wackerbart and his name appears in records in both Dresden and Warsaw until; 1740, when he probably died. Like Dagly, Schnell never signed any of his pieces, and we assume that he employed a large number of workmen, all of whom remain anonymous. The Dresden workshops produced extremely high quality pieces in a variety of colours including blue and white, colours that were not possible in in East Asia owing to the constraints of the native lacquer that was used.
Provenance:
Bridley Manor, Worplesdon, near Woking in Surrey.
Measurements
| Dimensions | CM | Inches |
|---|---|---|
| Width: | 123 | 48 |
| Depth: | 59 | 23 |
| Height: | 194 | 76 |