E W Godwin (attributed). An Anglo Japanese Ebonized Purdonium with a carved exotic bird.

Anglo Japanese ebonised purdonium.

Attributed to E. W. Godwin.

Probably made by William Watt.

The square sectioned gallery top and moulded shelf supported on fine angle brackets and square section uprights that disappear into the top of the main body, a detail quite unique to Godwin that we see on all of his most famous sideboards of the 1870's (Susan Soros, Secular Furniture, pages 176, 177, 178, 179 181, 182 and 183) and a music Canterbury (Susan Soros, Secular Furniture, pages 213 fig 338). The lower cupboard is hinged and tilts forward to open, the handle has an Anglo-Japanese style fretted back plate, engraved with a floret to the center. The oriental fretwork panel sliced diagonally with a carved exotic bird to the upper triangle with embossed Anglo-Japanese style leather paper behind. Godwin recommended the use of leather papers for the decoration of furniture, (Susan Soros, Secular Furniture, page 179, fig 211).

The whole on tapered legs united by Japanese fretwork, stood on gilt metal and porcelain castors.