A Napoleon III period gilt brass and ormolu mounted Boulle work side cabinet, circa 1870

A Napoleon III period gilt brass and ormolu mounted Boulle work side cabinet, circa 1870

Of rectangular form with a black marble top, the ebonised cabinet inlaid with premier and contra-partie marquetry, in the manner of André-Charles Boulle, the hipped rectangular top with canted foreangles above a pair of panel doors enclosing two shelves, the

Dimensions: 108.5cm high, 130cm wide, 43cm deep

Provenance: This item originates from a private family collection and was in situ at Castle Froma, Leamington Spa 1913-1954. It comes by descent through the Bower family.

The earliest record the family has is of John (Died 1545) and Eleanor Bower of the Manor at Bradstone. Of particular note is John and Ann Bower of The Manor at Bradstone. Ann was a descendant of Richard II.

‘When Queen Elizabeth was on the throne, a little girl named Ann was growing up in Worcestershire. She too had Royal blood in her veins as she was descended through her grandmother, Maud (or Matilda), daughter of Sir Richard Barrington from Richard, Earl of Cornwall, the second son of King John and grandson of Henry II. She was born in the reign of Edward VI as was her brother Giles and sister Maud. Ann grew up to be a lovely woman and was given in marriage to one John Bower. The Bowers lived in Gloucestershire for many generations'

The vendor's Grandmother and Mother were at ‘Castle Froma’ Leamington Spa, Warwickshire with the name Tunbridge. His mother married Kenneth Dibben. They have had houses in Smith Square. Their house, No.4 had a scene from ‘The Forsythe Saga’ filmed on the doorstep and ‘Naish Priory’ in East Coker, Somerset.