E. W. Godwin Attributed, Made by Collinson & Lock, Display Cabinet

Attributed to E. W. Godwin and made by Collinson & Lock, this display cabinet aligns to the Aesthetic Movement (c.1860 to c.1900), c.1880.

Stamped “Collinson & Lock, London, 5109” to the top of the lower right-hand door, the cornice incorporates twin rows of dentil mouldings with stylised recurring circular inlaid decoration, interspersed with eye-shaped details and reverse-flowing arrowheads. Godwin used recurring circular details in wall and ceiling paper designs, as well as carved and fretwork circular floral devices on many pieces of furniture he designed.*

Below is a plain pair of glazed doors opening to reveal a rich plush velvet-lined interior. A corresponding dentil detail is placed between the upper glazed doors and the lower doors, the latter having fielded square panels to the centre, each set within a larger square divided by horizontal and vertical line details.** The doors each have full-length gilded brass beadings, with a simple gilded brass escutcheon to the lower door.

Below the doors is a vertical gallery to the front and sides, decorated with tramline detailing. The lower section has an open shelf with a void above, giving the cabinet a light architectural stance, the whole raised on square-section legs.

References / Provenance

Object stamped “Collinson & Lock, London, 5109” to the top of the lower right-hand door.

* For Godwin’s recurring circular details in wall and ceiling paper designs, see Susan Weber Soros, The Secular Furniture of E. W. Godwin, p. 268.

** Susan Weber Soros, The Secular Furniture of E. W. Godwin, pp. 222 and 223, illustrations 358 and 359, for related Godwin door panel designs.