Lamb of Manchester Pair of Ebonised Walnut & Gilt Pier Cabinets Circa 1850

Provenance: Bonhams Knightsbridge Sale 8th March 2005 - lot 190 and then Private London Collection

Lambs of Manchester were a renowned cabinet making firm, founded by James Lamb. He was a Manchester cabinetmaker who started in the mid Victorian era. James Lamb was born in 1816, he joined the family business and turned it into a high class interior design, decorating and furnishing firm. The firm had a cabinet making workshop in Castleford and their main gallery in John Dalton Street, Manchester, with vast furniture showrooms over three floors showing their quality pieces for sale.
The firm was to go onto international success winning medals at the London 1862 Exhibition and the Paris 1867 Exhibition.
James Lamb died in 1903, his obituary appeared in The Journal of Decorative Art and British Decorators where it stated that:
His name was a synonym for the best in everything that he did from 1850 – 1885, and he towered over everybody in Lancashire and Yorkshire as maker of high class furniture. His name for 50years stood as a landmark for all that was best in both spheres of industrial art.
They employed famous designers of the caliber of Charles Bevan, Bruce Talbert and W.J Estall and were especially well known for their arts and crafts furniture.
You know you are buying quality furniture when you buy antique furniture by the furniture makers lambs of Manchester
William Hampton
The Pantechnicon building was a large building located Between Motcomb, Lowndes, and Kinnerton Streets, all of which are on the western side of the square, used for storing furniture, carriages, works of art, &c. It was originally built about the year 1834, as a bazaar, and was established principally for the sale of carriages and household furniture.

In 1830 William Hampton opened a shop for the sale of general household furniture in Cranbourn Street. He was subsequently joined by his two sons George and William Powell (the sons of George Hampton; Harold, Fred and Clarence also later entered the business).

In 1869 the business expanded with new premises on the corner site comprising 8 Pall Mall East and 1-3 Dorset Place (now Whitcomb Street). Throughout its history the firm suffered a number of serious fires, the first of which occurred in 1890. As the firm continued to expand it took over control of a number of other firms, beginning with James Coulson and Co of Lisburn, Northern Ireland in 1898, and in the early 1950's Goodall, Lamb and Highway of King Street, Manchester and Robson and Sons Ltd of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

In 1926 the firm opened a factory at Ingate Place, Battersea close to the firm's existing depository. Amongst the firm's notable contracts were the Royal Yacht Britannia, the liners the Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, the Duke of York Theatre, the Dorchester and the Mayfair Hotels and the palaces of two Indian princes, the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Maharajah of Kashmir. On the night of 16th November 1940 an incendiary bomb hit the Pall Mall premises and the greater part of the building was destroyed. Temporary one-storeyed buildings were erected on the site but these were eventually demolished in 1957 following the sale of the site to the Canadian Government. In October 1940 the firm had acquired a controlling interest in the firm of Storey & Co Ltd of Kensington High Street and it was there that the firm established its new headquarters.

Offered in excellent original condition, original glass, minor scuff marks to plinth base, two original working keys, no odours or smells, doors open and close with smoothly and with ease, all locks present bearing Lamb makers stamp, no signs of past or present woodworm, adjustable shelving, matching pair.

• Item: Matching Pair of Pier Cabinets or Bookcases Circa: 1850
• Cabinetmaker: Lamb of Manchester
• Provenance: England, UK
• Wood: Walnut
• Ebonised
• Gilt
• Orient Pink Marble Tops
• Galleried Tops
• Two Door
• Adjustable shelving
• Oak lined
• Original working lever locks (with keys)
• Stamped with makers mark
• Free Uk delivery
• Excellent condition
• Rare
• Investment
  

Height: 42” inches / 107cm
Width: 47” inches / 120cm
Depth: 17.5” inches / 45cm

Free delivery is offered to England & Wales