Illustrated History of Furniture, fifth ed. / From the Earliest to the Present Time

by Frederick Litchfield

In Boxwood, for H.M. Queen Victoria. Designed and Carved by H. Rogers, London.

In France the success of national exhibitions had become assured, the exhibitors having increased from only 110, when the first experiment was tried in 1798, by leaps and bounds, until at the eleventh exhibition, in 1849, there were 4,494 entries. The Art Journal of that year gives us a good illustrated notice of some of the exhibits, and devotes an article to pointing out the advantages to be gained by something of the kind taking place in England.

From 1827 onwards we had established local exhibitions in Dublin, Leeds, and Manchester. The first time a special building was devoted to the exhibition of manufactures was at Birmingham in 1849; and from the illustrated review of this in the Art Journal, one can see that there was a desire on the part of our designers and manufacturers to strike out in new directions and make progress.

We are able to reproduce some of the designs of furniture of this period; and in the cradle designed and carved in Turkey-boxwood, for Queen Victoria, by Mr. Harry Rogers, we have a fine piece of work, which would not have disgraced the latter period of the Renaissance. Indeed, Mr. Rogers was a very notable designer and carver of this time; he had introduced his famous boxwood carving about seven years previously.

DESIGN FOR A TEA CADDY.

By J. Strudwick, for Inlaying in Ivory.

Published as one of the "Original Designs for Manufacturers" in the Art Journal, 1849.

This cradle was also, by Queen Victoria's command, sent to the Exhibition, and it may be worth while quoting the artist's description of the carving:—"In making the design for the cradle it was my intention that the entire object should symbolize the union of the Royal Houses of England with that of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and with this view, I arranged that one end should exhibit the arms and national motto of England, and the other those of H.R.H. Prince Albert. The inscription, 'Anno, 1850,' was placed between the dolphins by Her Majesty's special command."