CIRCA 1785, IN THE MANNER OF THOMAS CHIPPENDALE

The star-inlay to the inside of the lids on this pair of cutlery boxes can be found on the pair of bookcases and the 'Violin Bookcase' supplied to Henry, 10th Earl of Pembroke, for Pembroke House, London and now at Wilton House, both of which have been associated with payments to Chippendale (C. Gilbert, The Life and Work of Thomas Chippendale, London, 1978, vol. I, pp. 147-150 & vol. II, pp. 42-44). The red wash to the interior is a feature found on much of the furniture Chippendale supplied to William Crichton-Dalrymple, 5th Earl of Dumfries (c. 1699-1768) between 1759-63. The fine checquer-banded edge moulding, ogee bracket feet and red-wash can be found on a fine 'Chippendale' mahogany decanter box formerly in the collection of John Barratt at Crowe Hall, Bath, sold Christie's, London, 16 December 2010, lot 272 (£20,000).