A one-off chest of drawers by the British cabinet-maker Alan Peters (1933-2009) will go under the hammer at the Cheltenham saleroom of Mallams on August 15.
Influenced by Japanese design, the walnut, tropical olive and cherry wood chest of drawers with black iron handles was a commission piece for a Cheltenham client in March 1982 and is being sold with the original sketches, invoice and correspondence. The piece was also displayed at the Furniture in Context exhibition at the British Crafts Centre in London in 1982 and a magazine clipping of an article that describes the piece is included with the lot.
Peters has been hailed as a ‘pillar of British furniture design in the late 20th century’ and one of the few direct links with the Arts & Crafts movement through his apprenticeship with Edward Barnsley. Estimate £3000-4000.
From an era when international travel was a serious undertaking comes this late 19th century trunk by Louis Vuitton, above. It carries an estimate of £2500-3500 at Tennants’ Costume, Accessories and Textiles Sale in Leyburn on August 17.
Vuitton, who served his apprenticeship as a trunk-maker, established his eponymous brand in 1854. He spotted an opportunity to make flat-topped trunks, which were easily stacked compared with the traditional dome-topped variety.
The rectangular design, covered in Vuitton’s distinctive checkerboard ‘damier’ canvas that was introduced in 1888, became a firm favourite with the wealthy Victorian traveller.
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