A large Victorian Irish arbutus wood Killarney marquetry dav...

Hammer

£14,000

A large Victorian Irish arbutus wood Killarney marquetry davenport attributed to Arthur Jones of Dublin, the serpentine front inlaid with the Irish harp flanked by a stag and eagle, above a sloping fall inlaid with Glena Cottage enclosing six short drawers, above a drawer opening to reveal a fitted interior with writing slope and inkwell. The arched panelled doors inlaid with oval panels of Glena Cottage and Muckross Castle enclosing five drawers each inlaid with ovals of various scenes; flanked by a pair of turned columns, the sides inlaid with oval panels of a hound and harp amongst ruins and a hunter with his hounds and a stag, on a concave base and bun feet, 81cm wide, 63cm deep, 123cm high (31.5in wide, 24.5in deep, 48in high). [With close similarities to a davenport by Arthur Jones of Dublin illustrated in G.Bernard Hughes, Development of the Davenport, Country Life, 1 July 1971, plate 5. A related davenport bearing the coats of arms of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland on the doors forms part of the collection of the Ulster Museum and is illustrated in B.Austen, Tunbridge Ware and Related European Decorative Woodwares, Extended ed, London 2001, p.185, pl.88. A closely related Irish Killarney davenport was offered Christie's London Highly Important English Furniture Eastern Rugs and Carpets, lot 135, 29 March 1984, Lot 135. A Killarney davenport in the manner of Jeremiah O'Connor was sold Bonhams, London 12 February 2002, Lot 95.Similar to Tunbridgeware, Killarney manufacturers, such as James Egan and Jeremiah O'Connor invited the public to inspect their craftsmen at work on their premises to encourage tourists to purchase goods. James Egan even introduced caged mountain eagles in his upper room as a further attraction. Arbutus is one of the main timbers used in Killarney marquetry, versatile in the effect created by the use of its veneers with the root, trunk and branches, other specimen woods used include holly, sycamore, laburnum, maple and yew wood. The scenes included on this piece are of local tourist spots were based on engravings in guidebooks and topographical works of the area and the animals and plants applied were those seen whilst touring the local countryside]