of architectural form, the hinged cover with an arched carrying-handle, engraved as a foliate swag, the top encased on all sides with a brass band engraved with echinus and dentil moulding, each corner with Ionic pilasters on each face against a stonework background, with foliate swags connecting the pilasters, the lower edge of the front face centred with the figure of fortune, with two locks, the interior with a hinged panel in the cover, and a well with two divisions (possibly for tea caddies and a mixing bowl), 18 cm. high; 40 cm. wide; 20 cm. deep
Furniture with engraved brass mounts was a distinctive feature of certain mid-18th century London makers including Abraham Roentgen, originally from Mulheim am Rhein, but worked in London from 1733-38 and again in 1766. Roentgen's co-religionist in the London chapter of the Moravian Brotherhood and fellow furniture maker, Frederick Hintz, also made furniture with engraved brass plaques. Furniture by the Exeter maker John Channon is also characterised by engraved brass, fuelling speculation that Roentgen, Hintz and Channon may have worked together (see Roentgen, Abraham (1711–1793) BIFMO (history.ac.uk))
Thomas
Chippendale, in his Director, (3rd ed. 1762) recommended that
for tea chests ‘the Ornaments should be of Brass or Silver’. Several London
makers made engraved-brass mounted boxes for various uses, such as tea chests
or dressing-boxes, some with exotic timbers. The only maker known to have made
such boxes was Landall & Gordon, whose trade card featured a bombé tea
chest (British Museum D,2.1273);
a tea chest of the same design as that on their trade card is in the Victoria
& Albert Museum (W.11:1 to 2-1965), and another in mahogany with brass
inlay is signed T. LANDALL. See C. Gilbert & T. Murdoch, John Channon
and brass-inlaid furniture 1730-1760, 1993, p. 20-21, pl. 13 & pp.
121-126. A similar tea chest was sold at Sotheby’s London, 26 October 2016, lot
1034.
