AN IMPORTANT AND RARE TASMANIAN FLAME CEDAR, CASUARINA, MUSK, AND OYSTER BAY PINE TAMBOUR-FRONT DESK IN THE FORM OF A BOSTON SECRETARY, ATTRIBUTED TO EDWARD AUGUSTUS WILSON CIRCA 1845
AN IMPORTANT AND RARE TASMANIAN FLAME CEDAR, CASUARINA, MUSK, AND OYSTER BAY PINE TAMBOUR-FRONT DESK IN THE FORM OF A BOSTON SECRETARY, ATTRIBUTED TO EDWARD AUGUSTUS WILSON CIRCA 1845Estimate $60,000 – $80,000
- Lot Sold $55,000 (Hammer Price)
- $66,000 (Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium)
the rectangular cedar top above a pair of fitted tambour doors enclosing an arrangement of pigeon holes and drawers decorated with Tasmanian native cherry crossbanded veneers and turned whale tooth knobs (two replaced), above a fold out writing surface and a single long drawer with book-matched tiger musk veneers and casuarina escutcheon, surrounded by show banded acacia cross banding, raised on four ring turned and rope twisted tallow wood legs terminating in original bass ball castors of American design; 121CM WIDE, 56CM DEEP, 115CM HIGH
NOTE Edward Augustus Wilson arrived in Hobart on 12th February 1840 aboard the HMS Buffalo having been sentenced to life on the 8th December 1838 after being found guilty of ‘piratical invasion of Upper Canada’
LITERATURE For further reading see, Australiana Magazine, February 2005 Vol 27 No.1, pp.16-20 ‘Edward Augustus Wilson, American-born patriot, cabinetmaker, political convict and British Slave’, by John Hawkins
PROVENANCE The Judge family, Brisbane, Bill Hind, Brisbane, John Hawkins, Warwick Oakman