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An important Arts & Crafts oak dining table by Ernest Gimson,…
Sale Title:
Auction House:
Auction Location:
Melbourne
Date:
24-Jul-2023
Lot No.
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Description:
An important Arts & Crafts oak dining table by Ernest Gimson, 1910s, circular, the four-plank top and its crossed bearers raised on four octoganal supports on a concave-sided square base with open centre, the four planks of the top with full-depth butterfly joints, the base with various chamfers enhancing its geometric complexity, the cross-members of the base with protruding through tenons with bevelled ends, 72 cm high, 145 cm diameter. Provenance: Harry Hardy peach (1874-1936), 'Crowbank', Leicester, England, acquired directly from Gimson, Thence by descent to the present vendor. Other notes: born and raised in Leicester, Ernest Gimson (1864-1919) was one of the pre-eminent figures of the English Arts & Crafts movement. In 1884, as a nineteen year-old articled architectural draftsman, he attended a lecture given in Leicester by William Morris after which the two men conversed for several hours, the beginning of an ongoing mutually-admiring relationship based on their shared strong interest in traditional English architecture and craftsmanship. In addition to his work as an architect (including, in 1912, submitting designs in the competition to design the new Australian capital, Canberra), Gimson turned increasingly towards furniture and other handcrafts inspired by earlier English tradition. In the early 1890s he joined with others in moving to the Cotswolds to establish a community of like-minded designer-craftsmen and artists, thus establishing what was to become known as the 'Cotswold School' within the Arts & Crafts movement. The furniture designed by Gimson and made in his workshop is widely regarded as being amongst the finest and now most sought after of English Arts & Crafts furniture. Also raised in Leicester, Harry peach (1874-1936) is today perhaps best known as the founder of Dryad furniture, a highly successful manufacturer of cane furniture, but he was in his work and interests generally another keen believer in Morris's vision to revive and promote traditional English artisanship and to bring good design and craft into as many households as possible. To this end, in 1915, alongside Ambrose Heal and others, he was a co-founder of the design and Industries Association which continues to this day (original slogan: 'Nothing Need be Ugly'). As successful business families in Leicester, the wider Gimson and peach families had been friendly for some years by the time, in the 1910s, peach began furnishing his house 'Crowbank', largely with furniture acquired from Gimson and his foreman (and successor) Peter Waals. The present and preceding lot are amongst those acquired from Gimson in this period and have remained with Peach's descendants until now.
Estimate:
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Price:
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Category:
Furniture: Tables - Dining & Other Large