THE THOMAS WEEKS CABINET
AN EXCEPTIONAL AND RARE GEORGE III SATINWOOD AND MAHOGANY SECRETARY
BOOKCASE ATTRIBUTED TO GEORGE SIMSON MADE FOR THOMAS WEEKS.

CIRCA 1805

The upper portion with three glazed doors below a stepped cornice incorporating finely carved urn finials and a central clock; the gilt metal mounted, projecting lower section with engaged reeded leaf carved columns set at the corners flanking a fully fitted dressing drawer with hinged mirror, lidded compartments, ivory and silver mounted accessories; the lower drawer enclosing a leather lined writing surface and eight small drawers, above a pair of cupboard doors; raised on ring turned feet; having vibrant panel inlays throughout.

ILLUSTRATED AND CITED IN: Percy MacQuoid, The Dictionary of English Furniture; (Rev. Ed. R. Edwards) Vol. I; page 198

GEORGE SIMSON established his workshops at 19 St. Paul's Churchyard by 1787, and in 1793 opened a Piccadilly warehouse on Dover Street. He was heavily influenced by Sheraton and subscribed to his “Drawing Book”. In The Dictionary of English Furniture Makers 1660-1840 (Edited by Geoffrey Beard and Christopher Gilbert) states that “a fine inlaid secretaire cabinet of circa 1800 has close resemblances to the style of work used on cabinets sold by Weeks's Museum, Titchborne St. It is therefore probable that these fine fitted pieces of furniture supplied through the business of Thomas Weeks were made in Simson's workshops.”

This cabinet was part of a suite of dressing and secretaire cabinets which incorporated clocks and automatic organs. They were exhibited in Weeks' Museum of Mechanical Curiosities in the Haymarket. Following the death of Thomas Weeks, his collection was sold at auction in 1834. Approximately twenty “Weeks” cabinets are known to exist including one in the City Museum & Art Gallery in Birmingham and one in Temple Newsam House, Leeds.