The Press.
London, England, 1853-06-11 00:00:00

SATURDAY,

served in the armouries of Dresden and 'Vienna).
Cabinets, coffers, and jewel-boxes in this manufacture
are not uncommon, but we know no more important
specimen in England than that which we are describing.
The ornament at the top, however, is neither in the
original design nor in the same tine taste. We should
venture to suggest its removal.
Lord Amherst, has contributed numerous specimens
of the furniture of the seventeenth century tuna
Knole, a residence richer than any other we are
acquainted with in the relics of former ages. The
apartment to which this furniture belongs was fitted
up for the reception of James 1., and must, we sup-
pose, be accepted as the best specimen of the up•
holsters of the day. There are several chairs, stools,
fire-screens, and a day-bed, all covered with purple
velvet, and enriched with embroidery in white silk
anti silver thread. Interesting as these relics are,
we cannot consider them as beautiful models; the
execution is not elegant, the forms are meagre, and
exhibit nothing of imagination in the design.
No. 92, a toilet-table, mirror, and two stands, or
gueridons, as they are termed by the French, covered
with thin plates (repousse), or beaten into a mould
and afterwards chiselled, representing various de-
signs of fruits and dowers in compartments, are also
contributions from the rich collection at Knole.
Another set, in the same style (the dates assigned
to both sets in the catalogue are 1(170), of the
IMMO articles (No. 22), but rather less rich in de-
sign, has also been brought from the same inex-
haustible store. The silver scrolls do not entirely cover
the woodwork, and many may be of opinion that
the effect is lighter and more elegant in consequence.
The style of all these belongs to the middle of the
seventeenth century, and was much in vogue ou the
Continent. It had its origin in Italy, but was more
generally practised in Germany and Flanders. These
specimens, which are in perfect preservation, are
said to be of English manufacture. Though the
material is precious and the execution good, we can-
not recommend the style for imitation. It is on
examination only that its merits can be detected. It•
wants boldness, and does not produce effect from a
distance. Constant friction would be needful to
preserve the brightness of the surface, and the sub •
stance is too thin and the work too delicate to permit
much anipulation ; moreover, to of
which m
is rendered uneven by embossedbeliefs, is
unfitted for all useful purposes.
Two pair of bellows (99 and Ill), either really
ancient or skilfully imitating the Italian style of the
sixteenth century, are of good design and bold exe-
cution. We beg to assure the proprietors that we
mean no disparagement to the beauty of these in-
teresting objects in suggesting the least suspicion of
their authenticity. The forgeries of Venice and
Florence are so ingenious as to deceive the most
wary collector. An old piece of wood is usually
selected, already worm-eaten, and upon which some
design has been carved which can be pressed into
the service ; and when this is the case, and some
ancient pattern accurately followed, modern execu-
tion has little to dread front a comparison with the
really ancient models.
Two chairs of ebony, inlaid in ivory, the property,
we think, of Mr. Baldock, in the curule form, atia
dating probably from the middle of the seventeenth
century, are of most elaborate work and beautiful
execution.

(To be continued.)

ltt pram.

ILAYMARKET THEATRE.
WE aro compelled to postpone until next week our
notice of Mrs. Crowe's new romantic play, The Crud
Kindness.

PRINCESS'S.
MONDAY next Lord Byron's tragedy, Sardanapalus, is
to be produced on the occasion of Mr. and Mrs.
Kean's benefit. We heartily wish Mr. Kean success.
However faulty his judgment may be, or however we
may doubt his abilities as an actor, we are quite
satisfied that he has the welfare of his profession at
heart, and that he has done much to vate the tone
and character of his theatre since the ele
direction has
been confided to his hands.
FRENCH PLAYS.
ON Saturday last Mlle. Rachel acted, for the first time
this season, her original part of Adrienne Lecouvreur,
seconded by M. Regnier, who appeared for the first
tune in this country as illichonnet. With Mlle. Ra-
chel's performance the public are already famihy,
and perhaps few could ho found bold enough to hint
that it was not faultless. A great actress like Rachel
has such an influence upon the sensibilities of her
audience, owing to her own marvellous power of self-
excitement, that the judgment is entirely surren-
dered to the feelings, and her very faults come to be
considered excellences. We confess we felt that
there was a certain want of simplicity in the earlier
scenes, and that the protracted horror of the death
scene is carried beyond the true limits of
_Mt; pad