Features

BADA Week: Exceptional Chinese Export Chairs sold to Art Institute of Chicago

To celebrate BADA Week (13th – 17th November), Thomas Coulborn and Sons is delighted to announce the sale of an exceptional pair of 18th century Chinese Export Carved Padouk Side Chairs to The Art Institute of Chicago.

Made circa 1730 in padouk carved in low relief imitating English gesso work, they feature carved shell and foliate decoration and distinctive grotesque masks to the pad feet.

The term coffer dates to medieval times and is used to describe a lockable wooden chest constructed for the purpose of storing valuable items such as gold or silver. First used in the 13th century, the term is a derivation of the Latin word ‘cophinus’, meaning a large basket or storage hamper. In Middle English the word is written as ‘coffre’ or ‘cofre’ and is absorbed from the French language following the Norman Conquest.

Among the most gifted British landscape painters of the 20th century, Edward Seago (1910-1974) captured the British coastline and countryside with a sense of joy that earned him worldwide admiration.

Born in Norwich, Seago’s father was area manager for a Norfolk coal merchant, while his mother was employed as a governess at nearby Raveningham Hall. Young Edward was diagnosed with a heart condition at age eight and as a consequence found himself regularly housebound.

The term albarello is used to describe a specific style of tin glazed earthenware, or Maiolica, that originated in the Middle East. Examples first arrived in Europe as a result of the 8th century Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula, (modern day Spain and Portugal).

The beautiful town of Meissen in Eastern Germany is not only the home of Meissen Porcelain but more importantly is the birthplace of the European porcelain trade itself.

The cartel clock is a magnificent wall-mounted timepiece originating from the early Rococo movement in 1730s France. Traditionally cartouche shaped in design, the elaborate cartel clock represented a rejection of the geometric symmetry of Louis Quatorze style, or French classicism as it is also known.

Padouk is the name given to the wood of the tropical Pterocarpus tree, native to Central and West Africa, and Southeast Asia. Trees can grow up to 50 metres in height, forming a long straight trunk that makes the timber an ideal candidate for logging.

The English term Padouk derives from the Burmese name for the tree, which is ‘Padauk’. Its wood is a rich red in colour, not unlike mahogany. The warm texture, coupled with the astonishing durability of the wood make Padouk perfect for use in the production of cabinets and fine furniture.

One of the foremost equestrian artists of the Victorian era, Heywood Hardy was born in Chichester, West Sussex, in 1842. The youngest of 10 siblings, Heywood’s family was blessed with a plethora of artistic and musical talents.

This month marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Omar Ramsden. Arguably the most eminent silversmith of the British Arts and Crafts movement.

Born in the Sheffield suburb of Walkley in 1873, Omar was the son of Benjamin Ramsden, a silver engraver, and his wife Norah. At the time, Sheffield was the heart of the British cutlery industry, so many households within the community would have been involved in the silver trade in some capacity.

Inherited editor Beth Hodges profiles pioneering antiques entrepreneur Clara Millard.

A caryatid is an architectural support sculpted in the form of a female figure, most used in classical architecture as a decorative alternative to the basic column support. Perhaps the most famous example can be seen at the Erechtheion or Temple of Athena Polias at the Acropolis in Athens. Although the caryatids currently in place at the Erechtheion are later replicas, five of the originals can be seen at the nearby Acropolis Museum.