James Herbert MacNair (1868 - 1953)
A stained beech bijouterie table cabinet
£8,050
Auction: 17 April 2002 at 12:00 BST
Description
circa 1901, the square glazed hinged top flanked by sliding demilune glazed boxes for display, supported by peg, the sides with arched glazed panels, the base velvet lined, the whole raised on square section tapering legs
6cm wide, 77cm high, 43cm deep
Footnote
Note: This cabinet, originally one of a pair, formed part of a scheme for a Writing Room for the Turin Exhibition of 1902. The room was designed jointly by Herbert MacNair and Frances MacNair as part of the Scottish Section of the exhibition under the directorship of Frances Newberry. Charles Rennie Mackinosh was chosen as overall architect to the project and his 'Rose Boudoir' which he designed with Margaret MacDonald Mackintosh formed part of the exhibit. The enthusiastic reaction to the Scottish section at Turin is reflected in the report of the Studio Magazine of July that year where the MacNairs' and Mackintoshes' schemes are illustrated and described in lavish detail. The reviewer writes "Two show cases contain - one, objets d'art by the McNairs (sic), and the other enamels by Miss Lily Day. Both cases are very good. This (second) room demonstrates how the same motif in the hands of differing artists, becomes like a new thing, and the utmost credit is due to the McNairs for this object lesson, showing in what manner the necessities and beauties of life can be brought together in one harmonious whole."
Exhibited: The International Exhibition of Modern Decorative Art, Turin, May 1902
Ref: Gerald and Celia Larner The Glasgow Style Edinburgh 1979 illus. no. 186
Roger Billcliffe J H MacNair in Glasgow and Liverpool Walker Art Gallery (Liverpool) Annual Report and Bulletin 1 (1970): 48-74
Studio Magazine Vol.26 No.112 July 15 1902 pages 91 - 103 illus pages 97, 98