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wall console
Date: 1650-1670
Place: Flanders - Belgium
Price: € 6.830
Article-nr.: P077 Order this object Description;
A hanging antique wall console, a quite distinct and rare piece of furniture. This particular object was made in the city of Antwerp; Flanders in ca. 1650-1670.
The materials used in the console are; both stained and natural tortoiseshell, ivory, ebony, oak and pine. In the 1600’s, such a console was an extension of the Gentleman’s home furnishings, office as well as being his “rarity cabinet”. Such artefacts being completed in ivory and tortoiseshell inlay work, including precious materials and exotic woods. A person who owned such an object, quite naturally gave it pride of place in the home of place of bussiness, as it represented both the social, educational and financial status of the owner. It would have been used to exhibit the owners most precious and personal possessions and the ones deserving pride of place in the room.
The chosen objects for presentation and of special personal pride, might be made of; Glass, Silver, Gold, Red Coral or a Nautilus shell, also frequently finished in precious metals with gemstones. Indeed, even the vain Englishman, the diarist and advisor to the King Charles II of England; Mr. Samuel Pepys, may have displayed his once surgically removed and exotically boxed gall stone on such a console, though purely as an after dinner conversation piece.
Either way, an owner of such a piece of expensive furnishing, was well versed in travel, social and cultural politics and with great interest in the origin and prices of the Worlds Commodities. Be it the humble wool, shipbuilders oak, exotic damasks, tea, nutmeg or silver bullion, Chinese porcelain, Brazil wood from Campeachy, or Ebony from Sulawesi in the Far East.
Consider the following facts; This console, was made in Antwerp, ca. 10 years after Rubens had finished his last great landscape pictures and Rembrandt was still alive and actively working in the city of Amsterdam. We therefore, would like to congratulate the Flemish cabinet maker, who could craft such a beautiful piece of quality furniture. It has lasted for more than 350 years and yet, can also still function quite perfectly, in today’s modern world. In a nutshell; it is a classical piece of historical furnishing, in need of some special and sophisticated surroundings.
Condition; The condition is surprisingly good, given the great age and materials used in the object. It has been ethically cleaned, with some minor restorations of some loose fitting ebony by a group of fully qualified restorers. Apart from these very minor restorations, everything is fully original and well cared for; even down to some faint and original traces of spilt candle wax at the back. The centimeter size is ca, Length; 23.0 Height; 21.0 Width; 14.0
Note / Caution; The silver Challenger Yachting Trophy, shown on the photographs together with the console is private, and not for sale.
Shipping; worldwide
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