Miniature Walnut Vitrine with Glazed Doors and Ormolu Corbels
You must be a subscriber, and be logged in to view price and dealer details.
Subscribe Now to view actual auction price for this item
When you subscribe, you have the option of setting the currency in which to display prices to $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.
- Corbel - An architectural term for a support for a projecting bracket, ostensibly supporting a beam or horizontal feature, but used in bookcases, sideboards and chests as a decorative element. Corbels are often carved with acanthus or other scrolling decoration.
- Turning - Any part of a piece of furniture that has been turned and shaped with chisels on a lathe. Turned sections include legs, columns, feet, finials, pedestals, stretchers, spindles etc. There have been many varieties and fashions over the centuries: baluster, melon, barley-sugar, bobbin, cotton-reel, rope-twist, and so on. Split turning implies a turned section that has been cut in half lengthwise and applied to a cabinet front as a false decorative support.
- Ormolu - Ormolu was popular with French craftsmen in the 18th and 19th century for ornamental fittings for furniture, clocks and other decorative items. True ormolu is gilt bronze, that is bronze that has been coated with gold using a mercury amalgam. Due to the health risks associated with using mercury, this method of creating ormolu was discontinued in France in the 1830s. A substitute was developed consisting of about 75% copper and 25% zinc, however it was inferior to the bronze version. It was often lacquered to prevent it tarnishing.
This item has been included into following indexes:
Visually similar items
A good Victorian burr walnut pier cabinet, the moulded edge, above a frieze with ormolu banding, below a glazed door with roundels, flanked by pilasters. 106 cm high, 86 cm wide, 37 cm deep.
French ormolu mounted Vernis Martin vitrine, c. 1900, moulded rouge marble top with brass gallery above a glass door enclosing two glass shelves, electrified, height 52 cm width 62 cm depth 34 cm. Provenance: Private Collection, Sydney
Antique ormolu and walnut display cabinet, with 'Japanned' finish, 106 cm wide, 35 cm deep, 105.5 cm high
A Victorian walnut display 'Pier' cabinet, ebony stringing and fine crossbanding, the single glazed door enclosing two adjustable shelves, restrained ormolu mounts, the platform base with shaped apron. 76 x 30.5 x 107 cm