GEORGE WASHINGTON JACK (1855-1932) FOR MORRIS & CO.
MAHOGANY INLAID BOOKCASE CABINET, CIRCA 1890
£15,000
Auction: 13 November 2013 at 11:00 GMT
Description
of inverted breakfront with panelled superstructure supporting an open shelf above a foliate marquetry frieze and four astragal glazed doors enclosing adjustable shelves, the base with central fall enclosing a fitted interior flanked by pedestal supports each with two doors and a cupboard below, the whole raised on shaped and stepped bracket feet
Dimensions
198cm wide, 234cm high, 40cm deep
Footnote
Note: George Jack was born on Long Island, New York, of Scottish parents. Upon his father’s death in 1860, he was brought back to Glasgow. Here, he was apprenticed to Horatio Bromhead before moving to London, where he eventually joined the office of Philip Webb in 1880. Like many of his contemporaries, he also designed furniture and furnishings and made a range of plaster reliefs and wood-carvings. The connection which Webb had with his friend William Morris led to Jack receiving commissions to design for Morris & Company, alongside his architectural work. In1890 he succeeded Philip Webb as chief furniture designer for the firm. His designs encouraged the revival of marquetry techniques to embellish furniture, as this piece illustrates.