Vintage Cocktail Drinks Bar Cabinet Epstein Mid Century C1950

Ref: A3747

For weekly notifications of new arrivals in your categories of interest please click HERE.

This is a fantastic vintage king wood cocktail cabinet with fabulous ormolu mounts, exquisite floral marquetry decoration and an elegant 'Marmo di Brescia' marble top, circa 1950 in date and by the renowned makers of bespoke furniture, Epstein Bros.

The doors open to reveal three shelves with brass galleries, and it is fitted with automatic lights that have been rewired and are in perfect working order. There is a useful full width drawer to house your drinks accessories and it stands on elegant cabriole legs.

This cocktail bar would be a wonderful and playful addition to your lounge or family room and is sure to get noticed wherever it is placed.

With working locks and key.

Purchased in Harrods in the 1950's

Condition:

In excellent condition, please see photos for confirmation.

Dimensions in cm:

Height 101 x Width 103 x Depth 46

Dimensions in inches:

Height 3 foot, 4 inches x Width 3 foot, 5 inches x Depth 1 foot, 6 inches

Epstein furniture
was originally founded in East London by Polish immigrants in the 1890s. The firm passed to brothers Harry and Lou Epstein and the pair turned their attention to the production of Art Deco forms from the 1930s until the 1950s.

Finished to high standards, most pieces were custom-made in veneers of burr maple, sycamore or walnut. The design of the famous ‘cloud’ seat furniture is credited to Epstein and the company also popularized the uniquely British taste in suite furniture.

Following World War II, Epstein had showrooms in London, Manchester and Glasgow. A conservative Art Deco style became the company`s trademark after the war and most pieces were made from bleached walnut. Art Deco pieces are not signed.

From the 1960s, some pieces were labelled ‘H. & L. Epstein’ or ‘Epstein & Goldman’.

Burr Walnut refers to the swirling figure present in nearly all walnut when cut and polished, and especially in the wood taken from the base of the tree where it joins the roots. However the true burr is a rare growth on the tree where hundreds of tiny branches have started to grow. Burr walnut produces some of the most complex and beautiful figuring you can find.

Ormolu (from French 'or moulu', signifying ground or pounded gold) is an 18th-century English term for applying finely ground, high-carat gold in a mercury amalgam to an object of bronze.The mercury is driven off in a kiln leaving behind a gold-coloured veneer known as 'gilt bronze'.

The manufacture of true ormolu employs a process known as mercury-gilding or fire-gilding, in which a solution of nitrate of mercury is applied to a piece of copper, brass, or bronze, followed by the application of an amalgam of gold and mercury. The item was then exposed to extreme heat until the mercury burned off and the gold remained, adhered to the metal object.

No true ormolu was produced in France after around 1830 because legislation had outlawed the use of mercury. Therefore, other techniques were used instead but nothing surpasses the original mercury-firing ormolu method for sheer beauty and richness of colour. Electroplating is the most common modern technique. Ormolu techniques are essentially the same as those used on silver, to produce silver-gilt (also known as vermeil).

Angelica Kauffman, RA (1741 - 1807)

was a Swiss-born Austrian Neoclassical painter who had a successful career in London and Rome. Though born as "Kauffmann", Kauffman is the preferred spelling of her name in English; it is the form she herself used most in signing her correspondence, documents and paintings.

While Kauffman produced many types of art, she identified herself primarily as a history painter, an unusual designation for a woman artist in the 18th century. History painting, was considered the most elite and lucrative category in academic painting during this time period. Under the direction of Sir Joshua Reynolds, the Royal Academy made a strong effort to promote history painting to a native audience who were more interested in commissioning and buying portraits and landscapes.

Despite the popularity that Kauffman enjoyed in British society and her success as an artist, she was disappointed by the relative apathy that the British had towards history painting. Ultimately she left Britain for the continent, where history painting was better established, held in higher esteem and patronized.

The works of Angelica Kauffman have retained their reputation. By 1911, rooms decorated with her work were still to be seen in various quarters. At Hampton Court was a portrait of the duchess of Brunswick; in the National Portrait Gallery, a self-portrait. There were other pictures by her at Paris, at Dresden, in the Hermitage at St Petersburg, in the Alte Pinakothek atMunich, in Kadriorg Palace, Tallinn (Estonia).

Satinwood

is a hard and durable wood with a satinlike sheen, much used in cabinetmaking, especially in marquetry. It comes from two tropical trees of the family Rutaceae (rue family). East Indian or Ceylon satinwood is the yellowish or dark-brown heartwood of Chloroxylon swietenia.

The lustrous, fine-grained, usually figured wood is used for furniture, cabinetwork, veneers, and backs of brushes. West Indian satinwood, sometimes called yellow wood, is considered superior. It is the golden yellow, lustrous, even-grained wood found in the Florida Keys and the West Indies.

It has long been valued for furniture. It is also used for musical instruments, veneers, and other purposes. Satinwood is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Sapindales, family Rutaceae.

Our reference: A3747

Please feel free to email or call us (+44 20 8809 9605) to arrange a viewing in our North London warehouse.

Shipping:

We ship worldwide and deliver to Mainland UK addresses free of charge.

A shipping cost to all other destinations must be requested prior to purchase.

UK shipping times are typically 3-5 business days.

Buyers are fully responsible for any customs duties or local taxes that may be incurred on items sent outside of the United Kingdom, and we are not responsible for any delays in shipping or in the customs procedures of any jurisdiction, which are completely beyond our control.

Delivery and return policy:

We require that someone be home on the agreed delivery day if applicable, otherwise a redelivery fee will apply.

In accordance with Distance Selling Regulations, we offer a 14-day money back guarantee if you are not satisfied with the item.

The item must be returned in its original packaging and condition.

Unless the item is not as described in a material way, the buyer is responsible for return shipping expenses.

Buyers are fully responsible for any customs duties or local taxes that may be incurred on items sent outside of the United Kingdom, and we are not responsible for any delays in shipping or in the customs procedures of any jurisdiction, which are completely beyond our control.

Please be advised that claims for damage with certain carriers can sometimes take several months to resolve, and we would be grateful for your patience and cooperation throughout the process.

Returns will be processed and refunds issued within 2-3 business days of receipt.

Inventory