Bruce James Talbert High Gothic Reformed Buffet Sideboard

fantastic quality bruce james talbert.(born.dundee.scotland.1838.died.london.1881) one of the most important,original and remarkable furniture designers and architect of the aesthetic arts and crafts period,who influenced a whole generation of designers at this period. on offer is an elaborate oak reformed gothic revival side table-buffet designed by this scottish designer of repute,whose furniture is characterised by the use of unstained oak and rich elaborate carved mouldings based on naturalistic forms and designs,and inlayed with exotic woods such as ebony,holly,box-wood,walnut,thuya and pear,his decorative inlays tended to be highly detailed and bold with geometric panels with naturalistic forms.the brass quality lock fitted to the draw is stamped by the famous furniture maker.lamb and company.of manchester, talbert collaborated with this manufacturer between 1862-1865.,which is the date of this rare side table buffet.bruce was born in dundee and attended in his youth the dundee high school were he originaly studied to be a wood carver,here he was taught by master scottish artistic carvers,this is were he learnt his craft,and aroused his interest and flare in design.later he moved to glasgow where he worked and trained with architects and draftsmen,william nairne tait.1857-60.campbell douglas 1860-62.he left glasgow in 1862 and went to manchester to work with lamb and company,after years working with lamb he left manchester and went to work at gillows of lancaster where he became there major designer.he was also involved in designing gilbert scotts screen at hereford,and the albert memorial london.over this period his furniture was exhibited at all major international exhibitions where they won many major accolades.grand prix in 1867 he won the prestigeous paris prize for his side-board dresser named.pericles dressior,once owned by my old friend mr john scott,(antiquarian) london.now in the collection of the metropolitian museum of art new-york.usa.such was his importance in his chosen field,at later dates he designed for many british furniture companys of merit,such as holland and sons,jackson and graham,marsh,jones and cribb,seddon,just to name a few.his works today are on show in many collections in the uk and around the world such as the victoria and albert museum.london,judges lodgings,lancaster,metropolitian museum of art.new york,los angeles county museum of art,insitute of art chicago,carnegie museum of art,just to name a few.sadly bruce died at an early age of 43 in london in 1881,suffering from chronic alcoholism,but his folio of great works and design are appriciated and live on to this day.literature-references.gothic forms applied to furniture and decorations for domestic purposes.book published london.1868.ancient and modern furniture decorations.book.published.1876.fashionable furniture a collection of 350 original designs repersenting cabinet work and decorations.book.1881.published after his death.the present side-table-buffet on offer has been sympathetically restored to its former state.acedemia.reference.a simular sized oak gothic revival sideboard by talbert was sold in sothebys auction london in 1985.lot 210.in there decorative arts sale 28-29th november,and dated as 1870s.talbert at this time frame designed for gillows and lamb.