Title
A Nine-piece Bedroom Suite
Date
late 19th century
Description
A nine-piece bedroom suite (American, late 19th century) designed by Ogden Codman, Jr. (American, 1863-1951) and attributed to the manufacturer A. H. Davenport Co., Boston and East Cambridge, MA. Done in the Louis XVI style, the white-painted bedroom suite is composed of:
.1a-c = A double bed with an arched (chapeaux gendarme) head and footboard of unequal height, both are carved along the top rail with guilloche molding and have conforming panels outlined with spiral ribbon molding, the sides connect to projecting fluted colonettes topped with block flower-head medallions and globular foliate finials and are carved around the base with leaves. The bed is raised on four squat tapered fluted legs.
.2ab-.3a-b = A pair of pedestal chests of drawers of rectangular form with mottled black and white marble tops. Below the marble top is frieze drawer carved with Vitruvian scrolls and a central ormolu foliate knob pull. The front corner blocks are slightly outset and carved on the front with leaves. Projecting stiles in the form of fluted colonettes carved around the base with leaves extend from the block corners and frame the four drawers with panel fronts. Each drawer is fitted with two ormolu drop handles. The bottom rail is carved at center with curling leaves. Molded rectangular panels decorate the sides. The whole is raised on four squat tapered fluted legs.
.4a-b = A chest of drawers of rectangular form with a mottled black and white marble top. Similar in form to the pedestal drawers in this suite, the chest of drawers is shorter and squatter and has only three long drawers beneath its frieze drawer.
.5a-b -.6a-b = A pair of bedside cupboards, square in shape with a mottled black and white marble top. Below the marble top is a paneled frieze drawer fitted with a central ormolu foliate knob pull. The block corners are carved with flower-heads. Below is a paneled cupboard door with leaf tip molding and an ormolu knob pull. The apron is carved with pendent scrolling foliage. The bedside cupboards are raised on four tapered fluted legs.
.7a-b = A kneehole dressing table with a mottled black and white marble top. The central frieze drawer is carved with Vitruvian scrolls and has a central ormolu foliate knob pull. Below the central drawer are carved foliate spandrels. Flanking the central drawer are two paneled drawers on each side, each has a central foliate knob. The whole is raised on four tapered flued legs.
.8 = A writing table with a rectangular top surmounted by a cartonnier shaped super structure containing eight open compartments. Below the top is a long drawer carved with Vitruvian scrolls at the ends and a rectangular panel with a flower head medallion at center. The blocked corners are carved with flower-heads. The whole is raised on four tapered flued legs carved along the bottom with leaves.
.9 = A wardrobe with an arched top decorated around the edge with leaf molding and a central frieze of flower filled cornucopias flanking a central oval cartouche with trailing bell flowers. The two paneled doors of the wardrobe are decorated at the top with floral swags and wreaths suspended from bow-knotted ribbons, beneath the top panels are oblong rectangular panels with Vitruvian scrolls. Below the doors is a long drawer fitted with two ormolu drop handles. The front stiles of the wardrobe are decorated with curling foliate corbels above pendent bell flowers. The whole is raised on four squat tapered fluted feet.
.1a-c = A double bed with an arched (chapeaux gendarme) head and footboard of unequal height, both are carved along the top rail with guilloche molding and have conforming panels outlined with spiral ribbon molding, the sides connect to projecting fluted colonettes topped with block flower-head medallions and globular foliate finials and are carved around the base with leaves. The bed is raised on four squat tapered fluted legs.
.2ab-.3a-b = A pair of pedestal chests of drawers of rectangular form with mottled black and white marble tops. Below the marble top is frieze drawer carved with Vitruvian scrolls and a central ormolu foliate knob pull. The front corner blocks are slightly outset and carved on the front with leaves. Projecting stiles in the form of fluted colonettes carved around the base with leaves extend from the block corners and frame the four drawers with panel fronts. Each drawer is fitted with two ormolu drop handles. The bottom rail is carved at center with curling leaves. Molded rectangular panels decorate the sides. The whole is raised on four squat tapered fluted legs.
.4a-b = A chest of drawers of rectangular form with a mottled black and white marble top. Similar in form to the pedestal drawers in this suite, the chest of drawers is shorter and squatter and has only three long drawers beneath its frieze drawer.
.5a-b -.6a-b = A pair of bedside cupboards, square in shape with a mottled black and white marble top. Below the marble top is a paneled frieze drawer fitted with a central ormolu foliate knob pull. The block corners are carved with flower-heads. Below is a paneled cupboard door with leaf tip molding and an ormolu knob pull. The apron is carved with pendent scrolling foliage. The bedside cupboards are raised on four tapered fluted legs.
.7a-b = A kneehole dressing table with a mottled black and white marble top. The central frieze drawer is carved with Vitruvian scrolls and has a central ormolu foliate knob pull. Below the central drawer are carved foliate spandrels. Flanking the central drawer are two paneled drawers on each side, each has a central foliate knob. The whole is raised on four tapered flued legs.
.8 = A writing table with a rectangular top surmounted by a cartonnier shaped super structure containing eight open compartments. Below the top is a long drawer carved with Vitruvian scrolls at the ends and a rectangular panel with a flower head medallion at center. The blocked corners are carved with flower-heads. The whole is raised on four tapered flued legs carved along the bottom with leaves.
.9 = A wardrobe with an arched top decorated around the edge with leaf molding and a central frieze of flower filled cornucopias flanking a central oval cartouche with trailing bell flowers. The two paneled doors of the wardrobe are decorated at the top with floral swags and wreaths suspended from bow-knotted ribbons, beneath the top panels are oblong rectangular panels with Vitruvian scrolls. Below the doors is a long drawer fitted with two ormolu drop handles. The front stiles of the wardrobe are decorated with curling foliate corbels above pendent bell flowers. The whole is raised on four squat tapered fluted feet.
Cultural Origin
American
Medium
wood
marble
ormolu
Extent
.1a-c (bed) = 55" x 65 3/4" x 82"
.2ab-.3a-b (pair of pedestal chests of drawers) = 46 3/4" x 29 1/2" x 21”
.4a-b (chest of drawers) = 37 3/4" x 51 1/4" x 24 1/4"
.5a-b -.6a-b (pair of bedside cupboards) = 29 1/4" x 19 1/4" X 19 1/4"
.7a-b (kneehole dressing table) = 31"x 56" x 22 1/2"
.8 (writing table) = 39 1/4" x 48" x 30 1/4"
.9 (wardrobe) = 88 1/2" x 54" x 33 1/2"
Collection
Source
Gift of Countess Anthony Szapáry, 1974.
Identifier
PSNC.2974.1a-d-.9
For more information about this item, please contact its owning institution.