Printed from Woolley & Wallis

Description

A GEORGE I WALNUT BUREAU

BY WILLIAM OLD AND JOHN ODY, C.1725

with cross and feather banding, the hinged fall with an integral rest revealing a fitted interior with pigeonholes and drawer around a central cupboard, with a sliding well cover, with two short and two long drawers, the top right drawers with the remains of a printed paper trade label for William Old and John Ody, London, on later bun feet

99.7cm high, 96.3cm wide, 52.5cm deep

Provenance

Purchased from Hallidays Fine Antiques Ltd, Dorchester on Thames, 10th July 2001, for £25,000.

The selected contents of Dinton Hall, Buckinghamshire.

Catalogue Note

William Old, a chair maker and wood turner, and John Ody, a cabinet maker, were both living on the south side of St Paul’s Churchyard, London and went into partnership around 1717, quite probably after John Ody had married Old’s daughter a year or so earlier. Despite William Old’s death in 1728, the partnership continued until 1733, probably with William’s son, Henry, in William's place.

A very limited number of pieces of furniture survive with the Old and Ody Trade label in place with all the known case furniture being made from well figured walnut. Christopher Gilbert lists only five in his book Marked London Furniture, 1700-1840, and since the book’s publication three further labelled examples have been sold at auction: Christies, 18th October 2001, Important English Furniture, lot 266 for a cabinet on secretaire chest, Adams, 26th February 2017, ‘At Home’, lot 210, for another cabinet on secretaire chest and Dreweatts, 29 June 2022, Fine Furniture, lot 359, for a bureau cabinet.