in six sections, with four white marble upper surfaces, above a central upper roundel, flanked by two tiers of open shelves between three scrolling volute divisions; the tops of each base element with a marble slab, the projecting central base section with roundel, flanked by recessed lower elements divided by fluted tapering uprights, each with two crimson fabric-lined doors with chicken-wire grilles, on a plinth base; alterations to the upper shelving, restorations, the back panels uniformly painted in a pale red wash, 191 cm. high; 580 cm. wide; 64.5 cm. deep.
61 x 183 cm. size of marble area on top of centre base element:
2 cm. thickness of marble
Provenance: Captain Mervyn Edward Archdale, M.P. (1812-95), who acquired the bookcase in London c. 1857 for installation in Castle Archdale, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, Ireland.
Thence by family descent.
This enormous library bookcase-cabinet was installed in the library at Castle Archdale by Captain Mervyn Edward Archdale. The castle was a neo-classical house built for his grandfather, Colonel Mervyn Archdale (1724-1813), between 1773-1780, in Enniskillen, Ireland. The maker of the bookcase is not known, but is very much inspired by great commissions of furniture by London makers of the early 19th century, notably the robust classicism employed at the Whitbread house, Southill, Bedfordshire, where furniture was supplied by Marsh & Tatham in the first decade of the 19th century.
