E. W. Godwin Attributed. Anglo-Japanese Ebonised Purdonium with a Carved Exotic Bird
Price on Application
This item is price on application due to its rarity and importance.
Attributed to E. W. Godwin. Probably made by William Watt.
Anglo-Japanese ebonised purdonium/coal cupboard.
The square-sectioned gallery top and moulded shelf are supported on fine angle brackets and square-section uprights that disappear into the top of the main body, a detail quite unique to Godwin that we see on his iconic sideboards (Susan Soros, Secular Furniture, pages 176, 177, 178, 179, 181, 182, and 183), including a music Canterbury (Susan Soros, Secular Furniture, pages 213, fig. 338).
The lower cupboard is hinged and tilts forward to open. The handle has an Anglo-Japanese style fretted back plate, engraved with a floret to the centre. The oriental fretwork panel is sliced diagonally with a carved exotic bird to the upper triangle, with embossed Anglo-Japanese style leather paper behind.
Godwin recommended the use of leather papers for the decoration of furniture (Susan Soros, Secular Furniture, page 179, fig. 211).
The whole is on tapered legs united by Japanese fretwork, standing on gilt metal and porcelain castors.
Width: 8.66 in (22 cm)
Depth: 15.75 in (40 cm)
