Sideboard, also known as the Pericles Dressoir
Designer Bruce J. Talbert British, Scottish
Manufacturer Holland & Sons British
An ambitious example of British craftsmanship, this so-called Pericles dressoir or sideboard was specifically designed by Talbert as the centerpiece for the stand of Holland & Sons at the Paris International Exhibition of 1867. Talbert, known for his work in the reformed Gothic style, included a scene from Shakespeare’s Pericles, Prince of Tyre in the central gable as well as several quotations from this and two other Shakespeare plays, allusions to dining and the grace before a meal. Both the references to Shakespeare as well as the use of oak, a British native wood, are manifestations of immense national pride.
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