A good early 20th century Art Nouveau period mahogany wardrobe by renowned cabinet makers’ Shapland & Petter of Barnstaple Devon. With central marquetry inlaid panel and lovely heart shaped escutcheons to the mahogany lined drawers. Brass locks stamped “S&P”above a “B” (Barnstaple). Breaks down in to 4 pieces for ease of access and transport – cornice, two central sections and base.
72”w x 832h x 20”d
183cm w x 211cm h x 51cm d
Circa 1920
£850
Shapland and Petter was first established by Henry Shapland in ca.1854. He was a cabinet maker by trade but after a visit to America in 1848, he was inspired by an invention of a moulding machine which would speed up the production of furniture making. Upon his Return back to England with his new found inspiration and ideas, he reproduced a similar machine and began his cabinet making business at the Raleigh woolen mill in Pilton, Devon. Once he was more established, he then moved to Bear Street in Barnstaple where he started to create some good quality pieces of antique furniture. The other side to the story begins with Henry Petter who was an accountant, entered into partnership with Henry Shapland. There new formed business quickly grew and in 1864 they bought the Raleigh Factory where Shapland first set up. Unfortunately in 1888 the building burnt down in a large fire. Soon after a larger factory was built with lots of new inventions to speed up the process of modern cabinet making. The new factory had saw mills, cabinet making shops and polishing rooms set up. It was more like a production line, it was quite revolutionary for the time. Unfortunately Henry Petter died in 1907 and Henry Shapland died in 1909. In 1924 Shapland and Petter merged with the Barnstaple Cabinet Company and this lead to one of Devon’s biggest industries of the period. They employed over 300 people with skilled hand carvers, cabinet makers who also were machinists, French polishers, and very important designers, who produced some of the stylish designs of the period.
