Circa 1851 a Simply Breathtaking Victorian Walnut Carved Davenport Desk
by William Gibbs Rogers the eminent 19th Century English woodcarver.
William
Gibbs Rogers (1792 - 1875) was highly regarded as the most eminent woodcarver
of 19th Century England, following in the footsteps of the Grinling Gibbons. Rogers
devoted his studies to the works of Grinling Gibbons and was regarded by his contemporaries
as the equal of Gibbons if not his superior. William Gibbs Rogers was responsible
for continuing the tradition of repairing Gibbons carvings.
Rogers produced
works for the House of Lords, the library of Trinity College, Cambridge and the
Church of St Michael, he also also boasts commissions for the like of the Sultan
of the Palace of Constantinople.
In 1850 Rogers was elected to the committee
for carrying out the scheme of the Great Exhibition of 1851 and received a commission
from Queen Victoria to carve a cradle in boxwood in the Italian style. This beautiful
item is displayed in the Kensington Palace Museum in London.
He displayed several
items at the Great Exhibition including frames with grotesque masks intricately
carved...these masks are almost identical to those incorporated in the davenport
desk. Although the dates on the back of the davenport indicate that the desk was
carved the same year as the Exhibition we are unable to prove that this was actually
carved for the Exhibition although the dates would tie in perfectly. None the
less, there is no doubt as to the quality of the Davenport, the initials FLR and
the date 1851 appear on the heavily carved back of the davenport along with beautiful
displays of carved fruit, masks and finely carved faces. The gallery has two cherubs
carved at either side but by far the most spectacular carving is to the front
where Rogers skill is shown at its finest...The pair of winged griffins are quite
spectacular the fine detail shows why his work is so highly regarded..This desk
has 4 full width hidden drawers found behind a beautifully carved hinged panel,
and above a pull out pen compartment shows clearly the stamp of W.G Rogers.
For an item of this calibre to become available is very rare and the total
uniqueness of the piece makes it priceless. It is hard to believe that each carving
on this desk was done by hand, the griffins are carved from a solid block of walnut..We
are very excited to be the ones responsible for selling this beautiful davenport
by such an eminent woodcarver...
SOLD
(Ref
: MISC57)
