Important 18th Century George I Secretaire Cabinet on Chest by Coxed and Woster

Important 18th Century George I Secretaire Cabinet on Chest by Coxed and Woster

An exceptional and important Coxed & Woster ‘mulberry’ cabinet on secrétaire chest, bearing the original trade label of G.Coxed and T. Woster.

One of only eleven known pieces to bear the label of G.Coxed and T. Woster, and the tenth recorded example, with just two cabinet-on-chests of this exact form recorded in mulberry.

The upper cabinet opens to reveal a fine interior with an arrangement of drawers and compartments, all veneered in richly figured burr maple, framed with white metal stringing and kingwood crossbanding.

The fall-front secrétaire opens to reveal a silk velvet–lined writing surface and a finely conceived fitted interior of drawers and compartments, all veneered in richly figured burr maple and framed with white metal stringing and kingwood crossbanding.

The chest below is arranged with four graduating long drawers, their bold proportions and carefully book-matched veneers creating a strong architectural base, raised on turned ball feet with shaped brackets, known as the ball and bracket. The transition from the bun foot to the bracket foot. The ball and bracket was only in production for a very short period of time allowing us to date this piece to a very specific period of time, along with the original trade label which is documented to be in production between 1719-1724.

Coxed & Woster are renowned for their dramatic and highly sophisticated use of veneers, favouring burrs such as elm, walnut, and above all the most prized and elusive ‘mulberry’ , a term later coined by the antique trade to describe burr maple (Acer campestre) taken from the root ball. Through the historic process of chemical treatment with nitric acid described in the 1688 Treatise of Japanning as aqua fortis the veneer acquires its rich oxidised orange tone, further heightened with lamp black to produce a striking, tortoiseshell-like effect.

The cabinet was produced during a period of exceptional prosperity in early 18th-century Britain, when expanding global trade and an influx of highly skilled Continental craftsmen contributed to what is now recognised as the golden age of English furniture. Decorative details such as white metal stringing and kingwood crossbanding reflect strong European influence, often attributed to figures such as Gerrit Jensen, who introduced refined Continental cabinet-making practices to London workshops.

The survival of the original Coxed & Woster trade label “At the White Swan in St. Paul’s Church-yard, London” is of outstanding importance. The piece is by one of the most influential cabinet-making partnerships from the 18th century.

A museum-quality cabinet on chest of the highest rarity, combining documentary importance, exceptional materials, and masterful execution.

Signed / Inscribed:
G. Coxed & T. Woster, At the White Swan in St. Paul’s Church-yard, London; makes and sells cabinets, book-cases, chests of drawers, scrutores, and looking-glasses of all sorts at reasonable rates.

It should be noted that the original surfaces and colour of this piece are truly exceptional, showcasing a rich, deep patina.