Chinoiserie Sterling Silver Tray with Exotic Figural Decoration

A George V sterling silver-gilt tray, 1935 London, attrib. To…
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A George V sterling silver-gilt tray, 1935 London, attrib. To William Comyns & Sons (Richard Comyns), the fine rectangular tray with canted corners, embossed and chased with chinoiserie figural decoration in exotic garden setting with pagodas, bird and foliage, surrounded by a shaped border on matted ground, maker's mark illegible but attributed to William Comyns & Sons as it matches the box, listed separately. Weight 697g length 31.5 cm, width 22.5 cm

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  • Attributed - A cataloguing term where the item in the opinion of the cataloguers, is a of the period of the artist, craftsman or designer, and which probably in whole or part is the work of that person.
  • Canted Corners - In decorative arts, especially furniture making, a canted corner refers to a technique where the corner of the piece is angled or "canted" to create a diagonal corner. This is different from a chamfered corner which is a technique where the edges of a corner are cut at an angle, creating a diagonal edge or "bevel" along the corner.

    A canted corner is typically used to add visual interest to the item. It can be found in various styles of furniture such as contemporary, Art Deco, or traditional. It is often used to create a sense of movement and dynamism in a piece.

    Canting a corner is a more complex technique than chamfering, and it is typically done by tilting the corner of a piece of furniture and then cutting the wood to match the angle. It's a technique that requires precise measurements and a good understanding of angles and geometry, and it is usually done by experienced artisans.
  • George V - George V (1865 ? 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 1910 until his death in 1936.
  • Embossed / Repousse - Embossing, also known as repousse, is the technique of decorating metal with raised designs, by pressing or beating out the design from the reverse side of the object.It is the opposite of chasing, where the decoration is applied from the front. An embossed or repoussed object may have chasing applied to finish off the design.
  • Chasing - The method of decorating gold and silver objects using a punch and hammer so that the design appears in relief. Flat or surface chasing is done from the front giving the item definition, but not cutting into the metal.

    Chasing is the opposite technique to repousse, but an object that has repousse work, may then have chasing applied to create a finished piece.
  • Chinoiserie - Furniture and decorative items decorated in imitation of a Western interpretation of the Chinese style. The Chinoiserie style first became popular in the late 17th century, though there were frequent revivals, notably by Chippendale (hence 'Chinese Chippendale') during the Regency period, and the Anglo-Japanese style in the second half of the 19th century.

    The ubiquitous 'willow pattern' is the most common 'Chinese' theme used in porcelain, while on furniture the Chinoiserie style usually has black or red painted and lacquered decoration, though the hallmark of the furniture style is the use of fretwork in geometrical patterns, pagodas and other decorative forms.

    Japonaiseries, as the name implies, are motifs in imitation of the Japanese taste.

    See also "Chinese Chippendale".

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