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Lot Essay
Superbly crafted with broad expanses of mahogany veneer, this sideboard and en suite cellarette exemplify the plain Grecian style of the 1820s. Conceived as a matching set, their survival together is exceptionally rare. A closely related sideboard and virtually identical cellarette furnished the Fulton Street home of the renowned cabinetmaker, Duncan Phyfe (fig. 1) and it is likely that the pieces offered here were made in his shop. The sideboard form is described in the 1817 New-York Book of Prices For Manufacturing Cabinet and Chair Work and with the "front of the wings..made round, hollow, elliptic or ovalo corner." While the Phyfe-family sideboard features pedestal ends rounded in the front only and front-facing carved feet, the sideboard offered here has fully rounded pedestals and outward facing feet. A closely related sideboard, also with fully rounded pedestals, descended in the Suydam family of New York and is now in the Museum of the City of New York. Derived from Roman sarcophagi, the design of the cellarette reflects the era's penchant for ancient sources. In addition to the example in fig. 1, for closely related cellarettes, see David B. Warren, Bayou Bend: American Furniture, Paintings and Silver from the Bayou Bend Collection (Houston, 1975), cat. 197; Christie's New York, October 21, 1989, lot 299; William Doyle Galleries, June 4, 1997.
Given to the current owner by her friend, Mary Helen (Church) Gilpin, the sideboard and cellarette were originally part of the furnishings of Belvidere, the estate of Mary's grandfather, Philip Church (1778-1861) in Allegany County, New York. Born in Boston in 1778, Philip Church was the son of Angelica Schuyler (1756-1815) and her English husband, John Barker Church (1748-1818). His parents settled in London, where his father was a Member of Parliament and the couple socialized with leading aristocratic and political figures. After studying at Eton and meeting the likes of the future King George IV, Philip returned to New York with his parents in 1797. The nephew of Alexander Hamilton, who had married his mother's sister, Elizabeth, Philip was appointed Hamilton's aide-de-camp by George Washington. He had just completed his first house in western New York in 1804, when he heard of Hamilton's duel with Aaron Burr. Philip returned immediately to the City, where Hamilton's remains had been taken to the house of his father, who five years later had also fought Burr in a duel.
In 1805, Philip began building Belvidere, a stone mansion lying along the banks of the Genesee River and in 1810, he and his wife, Anna Mathilda Stewart, the daughter of Walter Stewart of Philadelphia, moved into their new home. A prominent Judge and civic leader, Philip resided at Belvidere for the rest of life and died there in 1861. Upon his death, the mansion was inherited by his son, Richard Church (b. 1803) and the sideboard and cellarette remained there until the family lost possession of the house in 1892. Restored to its former glory, the house still stands today. The sideboard and cellarette then passed to Richard's daughter, Mary Helen, who married Henry Edmund Gilpin in 1891. For Philip Church and his family, see John S. Minard, "A Biographical Sketch of the Late Judge Philip Church," Sketches of Border Adventures in the Life and Times of Major Moses Van Campen (Fillmore, NY, 1893), pp. 307-337.
Given to the current owner by her friend, Mary Helen (Church) Gilpin, the sideboard and cellarette were originally part of the furnishings of Belvidere, the estate of Mary's grandfather, Philip Church (1778-1861) in Allegany County, New York. Born in Boston in 1778, Philip Church was the son of Angelica Schuyler (1756-1815) and her English husband, John Barker Church (1748-1818). His parents settled in London, where his father was a Member of Parliament and the couple socialized with leading aristocratic and political figures. After studying at Eton and meeting the likes of the future King George IV, Philip returned to New York with his parents in 1797. The nephew of Alexander Hamilton, who had married his mother's sister, Elizabeth, Philip was appointed Hamilton's aide-de-camp by George Washington. He had just completed his first house in western New York in 1804, when he heard of Hamilton's duel with Aaron Burr. Philip returned immediately to the City, where Hamilton's remains had been taken to the house of his father, who five years later had also fought Burr in a duel.
In 1805, Philip began building Belvidere, a stone mansion lying along the banks of the Genesee River and in 1810, he and his wife, Anna Mathilda Stewart, the daughter of Walter Stewart of Philadelphia, moved into their new home. A prominent Judge and civic leader, Philip resided at Belvidere for the rest of life and died there in 1861. Upon his death, the mansion was inherited by his son, Richard Church (b. 1803) and the sideboard and cellarette remained there until the family lost possession of the house in 1892. Restored to its former glory, the house still stands today. The sideboard and cellarette then passed to Richard's daughter, Mary Helen, who married Henry Edmund Gilpin in 1891. For Philip Church and his family, see John S. Minard, "A Biographical Sketch of the Late Judge Philip Church," Sketches of Border Adventures in the Life and Times of Major Moses Van Campen (Fillmore, NY, 1893), pp. 307-337.