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• Auction House:
  Mossgreen
• Sale Name:
  Australian & Colonial - Antique & Historical
• Sale Date:
  03 Jun 2014 ~ 2.30pm
• Lot #:
  317
• Lot Description:
  Important Colonial Australian Secretaire chest, Sydney origin.
  Rose mahogany veneer on cedar with fitted huon pine interior. Refined & elegant with cockbeaded drawer & unusual beehive rose mahogany feet with ebonized bands & brass collar capitals.
  Height 109.5cm, width 107cm, depth 55cm
• References:
  Similarities including the brass collar capitals can be found on Govenor Macquarie's Strathallen specimen chest (see Fahy & Simpson, plate 63). Pencil inscription under drawer "John McMahon November 6th 1820".
• Notes:
  McMahon (1801-1850) Australian born was apprenticed c1813 most likely under David Brown who married McMahon's sister (Mary Elizabeth McMahon, June 28th 1816).This chest is the earliest signed known piece of Australian furniture by a Colony born furniture maker. Restored in the early 20th century with a second pencil inscription "This Antique Bureau was restored by A.W.Ormond 14 Pakington St Kew (signature) Antique expert June 20th (19)32". Pieces of this age & quality are extremely rare. Each of the timbers listed above have been confirmed via microscopic analysis by timber identification expert JUGO ILLIC. In addition using contemporaneous documents of the period written & signed by McMahon provide compelling evidence that the signature that appears on the secretaire is that of John McMahon.
• Estimate:
  A$280,000 - 320,000
• Realised Price:
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• Category:
  Furniture

This Sale has been held and this item is no longer available. Details are provided for information purposes only.