A splendid Javanese lacquer table in "Dutch family taking tea", c. 1680, attributed to Roelof Koets II (c. 1650-1725). ©Sotheby’s
The Duchess’s Private Closet at Ham House, with the so-called Javanese table raised on a European base. ©National Trust Images/John Hammond
Close-up of the table at Ham (inv. no. NT1140034). ©National Trust Collections
Javanese lacquer table in the Balcony Room at Dyrham Park. ©National Trust Images/Andreas von Einsiedel
Close-up of the table at Dyrham. ©National Trust Collections
A Javanese parcel-gilt and red lacquer cedarwood tea table, Circa 1680 . Photo Christie's Image Ltd 2013
The tray-shaped top with cusped edges, supported by six cabriole legs decorated on a red ground with low relief gilded oriental carvings; 45.5 cm. high x 77.5 cm. wide x 42.5 cm. Deep . Estimate €15,000 - €25,000 - Price Realized €38,700
Notes: With the introduction of tea to Europe in the second half of the 16th century, a whole new market evolved around this new and luxurious beverage.
European tea was far too expensive to gain favor with anyone but the rich. The high society and wealthy tea-drinking Europeans started to organize tea gardens and dances and developed other tea ceremonies with various attrib-utes. For example special shaped and sized tea pots, cups and saucers, spoons and also accessories indirectly connected to tea such as trays and tables.
Tables specially produced for the taking of tea made their appearance late in the 17th century. A specimen at Rosenborg Castle in Copenhagen has a tray-like top with splayed sides, all covered in floral marquetry (possibly manufactured by a Dutch cabinetmaker). The tray is a quircky european feature on the present Javanese tea table. In Europe comparable designs can be found in various (former) royal and noble collections. In Great Britain similar Javanese lacquer tea tables are in the collections at Ham House, Dyrham Park and Lyme Park. Schloss Charlottenburg in Germany displays several comparable tea tables. The tea table in Ham House was possibly bought by the Duchess of Lauderale, in Holland (mentioned in the inventory from 1683 onwards, op. cit. P. Thornton, 1978, p. 230 and plate 216). But we are not even sure whether these tables did indeed come from Java. There are some related tables in a few German collections, dating from around the same time and with similar distinctive pie-crust rims, but drum-shaped instead of rectangular. At the present day in Holland there are no comparable tea tables known besides of the present one. Nevertheless a picture attributed to Roelof Koets the Younger (ca. 1630/50 1725) from ca. 1680 shows the use of a similar Javanese parcel-gilt lacquer tea table in a 17th century Dutch interior. All the mentioned tea tables above have a similar separate, two tiers structure: with cabriole legs supporting the tray-like top and turned or column-shaped legs at the base (as can be seen in the 1680s painting by Koets).
Notes: With the introduction of tea to Europe in the second half of the 16th century, a whole new market evolved around this new and luxurious beverage.
European tea was far too expensive to gain favor with anyone but the rich. The high society and wealthy tea-drinking Europeans started to organize tea gardens and dances and developed other tea ceremonies with various attrib-utes. For example special shaped and sized tea pots, cups and saucers, spoons and also accessories indirectly connected to tea such as trays and tables.
Tables specially produced for the taking of tea made their appearance late in the 17th century. A specimen at Rosenborg Castle in Copenhagen has a tray-like top with splayed sides, all covered in floral marquetry (possibly manufactured by a Dutch cabinetmaker). The tray is a quircky european feature on the present Javanese tea table. In Europe comparable designs can be found in various (former) royal and noble collections. In Great Britain similar Javanese lacquer tea tables are in the collections at Ham House, Dyrham Park and Lyme Park. Schloss Charlottenburg in Germany displays several comparable tea tables. The tea table in Ham House was possibly bought by the Duchess of Lauderale, in Holland (mentioned in the inventory from 1683 onwards, op. cit. P. Thornton, 1978, p. 230 and plate 216). But we are not even sure whether these tables did indeed come from Java. There are some related tables in a few German collections, dating from around the same time and with similar distinctive pie-crust rims, but drum-shaped instead of rectangular. At the present day in Holland there are no comparable tea tables known besides of the present one. Nevertheless a picture attributed to Roelof Koets the Younger (ca. 1630/50 1725) from ca. 1680 shows the use of a similar Javanese parcel-gilt lacquer tea table in a 17th century Dutch interior. All the mentioned tea tables above have a similar separate, two tiers structure: with cabriole legs supporting the tray-like top and turned or column-shaped legs at the base (as can be seen in the 1680s painting by Koets).
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