first quarter of the 19th century, the uprights with Egyptian herm finials and carved with stylised harebells, holding an adjustable frame enclosing a pile fabric panel, probably Savonnerie, depicting a golden pheasant and parrots in a wooded landscape and indistinctly signed, raised on splayed end supports united by a shaped anthemion and rosette-carved stretcher, and terminating in claw feet and castors,
65cm wide
55cm deep
152cm high

This is almost certainly one of the pair illustrated in the Drawing Room and the Green State Room at Holkham in H A Tipping and C Latham, 'English Homes', 1909, pp.394 and 396 respectively.

In Holkham's archives, the earliest possible mention of the pair of fire screens is in an 1842 inventory, described as 'two carved and gilt fire screens, embroidered centres'. In the 1909 inventory, they are described as 'Aubusson pile tapestry, exotic birds after Buffon' and both were together in the South Dining Room at this point.

Further still, the 1967 inventory mentions 'A Regency gilt framed cheval fire-screen, in the Egyptian taste...the rectangular panel filled with parrots and a golden pheasant in a wooded landscape in Savonnerie pile fabric signed ‘Cant’ the screen bearing a trade label inscribed to Jo [sic.] Smith, apprentice and successor to the late Mr Harewood [sic.] of Conduit Street, carver and gilder and looking glass and picture frame maker'. In 1794, John Smith was apprenticed to William Hurwood (fl.1780-92), carver and gilder of 18 Conduit Street, London, for a premium of £20 ('A Memoir of the author [John Smith] by his grandson', 'Connoisseur', 1903, vol.5, p.214). He set up in business soon after the end of his apprenticeship in 1801. His early trade label simply described him as 'J. Smith, Carver & Gilder, Looking Glass Manufacturer, and Picture Frame Maker, 98 Swallow Street, near Conduit Street' (example on John Hoppner's 'George IV as Prince of Wales', Wallace Collection, London).

The pile fabric panel of exotic birds was probably based on a cartoon made for the Savonnerie manufactory in Paris, based on a similar panel housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. The panel, attributed to Thomas Moore (c.1700-1788) was - according to the museum - woven in England and probably by Thomas Whitty (1713-1792) at Axminster (accession number 64.101.1155).

Several earlier needlework or tapestry panels of the 'Golden' or 'Indian' pheasant are known - notably one at The Vyne, Hampshire, and one supplied by Chippendale to Dumfries House in 1759 - proving it was a popular design for furniture patrons throughout the second half of the 18th century. The design might have originated with Peter Parisot of the Fulham Tapestry Manufactory, which was bought by Thomas Moore in 1755. Other known examples are: 'Mulliner Collection Catalogue', fig.188; West Wycombe Park, illustrated 'Country Life Annual', 1977, p.32; and a pair advertised by M Harris & Sons, 'London Antique Dealers' Fair Handbook', 1985, p.42.

Thomas Chippendale the Younger (born c.1749), the eldest son of Thomas Chippendale (1718-1779), is documented as being involved in his father's business from an early age, carrying on the firm after Chippendale Snr's death in 1779 and supplying several more significant commissions up until 1820. Perhaps his largest was for Sir Richard Colt Hoare at Stourhead in Wiltshire, where the furniture is noticeable in its use of Egyptian herms, one of the distinctively French features that appeared on several pieces that Stourhead supplied before 1805. It has been suggested that Chippendale Jnr was the first maker in England to use the Egyptian herm, which was to become such a feature in George Smith designs. It is also worth noting that Thomas Hope - despite visiting Egypt and creating an entire Egyptian Room at Duchess Street, London - is not known to have used the Egyptian head.

Condition Report

Small areas of loss to the gilding the carpet panel in good order, free from damages and still in strong colour, small areas of loss to the gesso harebells, chips to the feet, adjustable sash mechanism opporational.

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