This extremely rare pair of cabinets are amongst the most important examples of colonial to furniture to appear on the local market in many years.The beautifully-figured cedar and brass-strung cabinets were made to contain the extraordinary collection of natural history, ethnographic, numismatic and other specimens collected by Lieut. Clements (1793-1847) on his many sea voyages, most notably those in the Australasian/ Pacific region between 1824 and 1847. The cabinets and their extensive and varied contents in 48 drawers have remained intact over several generations of Clements' descendants. They thus provide an important record of early Sydney cabinet-making skills as well as documentation relating to the life and interests of one of Sydney's eminent early residents.
Born in Dublin in 1793, Hanbury Clements joined the Royal Navy in 1806. After fighting and imprisonment in the Napoleonic wars (during which time he kept a journal now in the Mitchell Library) he captained the Ardent, the first ship to bring Irish free settlers to Hobart in 1824. During the 1820s Lieut. Clements made many voyages in the south Pacific region and in 1829 settled near Liverpool, Sydney with his wife Margaret (nee Ingham) and some of their 10 children.
The original contents preserved in the cabinets, much of it of great rarity and value in itself, provide a fascinating record of Clements' extensive interests and innate curiosity at a time of intense scientific investigation in Europe. Among the coins and medals, shells, fossils, mineral and wood samples are an important Solomon Islands coral ear ornament (for expanding the ear lobe) and shell bead belt, a Polynesian throwing stone, a petrified pterodactyl egg, a human jawbone, a platypus skull - and a beautifully preserved pressed mouse! The cabinets also contain objects given to Clements by early colonists (including mussel shells sent by Mrs Elizabeth Macquarie), rare semi-relief wax portraits, ephemera relating to Clements' career and to that of some of his descendants during World War I.
In addition to the contents of the cabinets themselves, the availability of portraits, journals and other material documenting aspects of Clements' career and life offers the opportunity to develop a fascinating story around the cabinets for display and publication purposes.
Designer/ maker is unknown. It is presumed the cabinet was designed specifically to contain Clements'varied collections. The style of the cabinet, with its extensive bead mouldings, crossbanding, turned 'bun' feet and brass-strung upper scrolls, is consistent with English 'late Regency' styles popular in the colonies during the 1820s and 30s.
The maker is unknown but was obviously a skilled cabinet-maker, probably resident in Sydney in the 1830s. The presence on a wax portrait in the second cabinet of the trade label of Thomas Blunt 'Fancy Cabinet Maker' may indicate the involvement of this furniture maker in the making of the cabinets. However, as Blunt appears to have specialised in the production of smaller items such as frames and writing cases his level of involvement may have extended only to the fitting of, for example, the purpose-built coin drawers in cabinet two.
While the construction of the lower cabinet is of very high quality, the upper shelf superstructure is less-skilled and may indicate a different maker at a slightly later date. That is, the cabinets may have been converted into 'chiffonier' forms five years or so after they were initially constructed.
The cabinet has been dated to the 1830s on the basis of its style and construction detail which are also consistent with our knowledge of Hanbury Clements biographical details. Clements first sailed to Australia (Hobart Town) in 1824 but did not settle in Sydney until early 1829. From this time he operated a variety of trading and passenger vessels along the south-east coast of Australia and among the south Pacific islands until his death in 1847. It is likely the lower cabinet was made in the early 1830s with the upper superstructure added five or so years later. The collections contained in the cabinet can be dated from the early 19th century through to material added by descendants during World War I. However, the bulk of the specimen collection can be dated to the period from about 1825 to 1845 when Clements was most active in the Australasian region.
The cabinet was made for Hanbury Clements and was used to contain his extraordinary specimen collections until his death in Sydney in 1847. The collections remained in tact in the cabinet over succeeding generations of Clements' descendants, with additional material added (specifically to the two frieze drawers) by descendants to just after World War I.
The cabinet was made for Hanbury Clements. After his death in Sydney in 1847 it passed by direct descent through three generations of his descendants - John Findlater Clements; Charlotte Findlater Clements; John Westall Durkin - to the vendor at the Wemyss auction, Louise Westall Taylor. This sale also included other material from the same vendor including a portrait of Mrs Margaret Clements, Hanbury Clements' wife and a suite of Chinese export ceramic serving vessels bearing the crest of the family of Hanbury Clements.
(Information on the Clements family history compiled by Louise Taylor is attached to the object file.)
Born in Dublin in 1793, Hanbury Clements joined the Royal Navy in 1806. After fighting and imprisonment in the Napoleonic wars (during which time he kept a journal now in the Mitchell Library) he captained the 'Ardent', the first ship to bring Irish free settlers to Hobart in 1824. During the 1820s Lieut. Clements made many voyages on passenger and trading ships in the south Pacific region including the south-east coast of Australia, New Zealand and the Solomon Islands. His adventurous spirit and curiosity is reflected in the many natural history and ethnographic objects he collected during these voyages. In 1829 Clements settled near Liverpool, Sydney with his wife Margaret (nee Ingham) and some of their 10 children. He established successful estates at Rockley near Liverpool and at Camden and Bathurst and died at Bathurst in 1847.
(NB This information was taken from biographical data provided by the auctioneer and has yet to be checked against primary and published sources.)
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