Good Regency Japanned Chinoiserie Console, first quarter 19th century, the rectangular top of breakfront form, above a conforming frieze with a pendant-pierced fret-carved apron, joined by a paneled back and four graduated columnar supports to a conforming lower shelf, raised on ball feet, the whole richly decorated with polychrome and gesso scenes of figures engaging in activities and lush landscapes in the chinoiserie taste, h. 37", w. 60", d. 17-1/2". Furniture of this style and quality is similar to pieces found at The Brighton Pavilion.

In good restored condition. The piece exhibits evidence of several past repairs and restorations including a few instances of scattered inpainting and restoration to gesso. Scattered minor powder post beetle damage. Scattered minor losses to gesso and paint, rubbing and evidence that the surface has been over-coated at some point. The piece exhibits a number of shrinkage cracks with attendant losses to the polychromy and gesso at those cracks, most notably to the bottom shelf, and a less noticeable shrinkage crack in the top. The secondary woods have all been painted black. At both vertical perimeter edges of the back, an additional ebonized molded board has been added. The back now has a plywood panel which is both screwed to the back panel and nailed to the frame, presumably to stabilize a shrinkage crack through the back panel. There are also two panels of the same plywood screwed to the ends on the underside of the bottom shelf. Removal of one of those panels exhibited aged surface consistent with the rest of the bottom. These pieces of plywood also appear to have been added to stabilize shrinkage cracks.