English Antique Mahogany Two Door Collectors Cabinet
An English Antique Mahogany Two Door Collectors Cabinet with Pierced Brass Top Rail Two Doors with Lock and Detachable Key Opening to Reveal Fourteen Sliding Drawers Containing the Holywath Museum Collection
Comprising natural history specimens, antiquities, coins, numerous minerals including a gold nugget and curiosities comprising prehistoric hand axes, a Solomon islands armband, a calcified birds nest and many other objects some with original collection labels
2nd half 19th Century
Size: 52cm high, 72cm wide, 40.5cm deep – 20½ ins high, 28¼ ins wide, 16 ins deep
Comprising natural history specimens, antiquities, coins, numerous minerals including a gold nugget and curiosities comprising prehistoric hand axes, a Solomon islands armband, a calcified birds nest and many other objects some with original collection labels
2nd half 19th Century
Size: 52cm high, 72cm wide, 40.5cm deep – 20½ ins high, 28¼ ins wide, 16 ins deep
The two booklets that have survived with this private Museum collection describe the objects it contains and also lists the names of the Museum’s ‘visitors’. These include John Ruskin who lived at nearby Brantwood. Ruskin (1819 – 1900) was a remarkably successful critic and one of the best selling authors of his age. His appreciation of art was heightened by his gifts as a draughtsman and artist. Ruskin was also a talented geologist with a remarkable talent for observation and description of natural phenomena.
Also in the ‘visitors’ book is W.G. Collingwood (1854 – 1932) an author, artist and antiquary who spent two years working with Ruskin at Brantwood and became his assistant travelling extensively with him in Switzerland. Six of his watercolours were on the walls of Holywath house. The Collingwood’s settled in the Lake District in 1883 and became friends with Arthur Ransome who learned to sail in Collingwood’s boat ‘Swallow’. W.G.Collingwood later founded the Ruskin Museum at Coniston in 1901.
Kate Greenaway (1846 – 1901) wrote and illustrated a short story for Violet Severn, the daughter of Joan Severn, Ruskin’s cousin and heir, which was found in the contents of Holywath House. John Ruskin corresponded extensively with Kate Greenaway and at one time she anticipated a marriage proposal from him. After 1880 Ruskin lived increasingly as a recluse and invalid at Brantwood cared for by Joan Severn and her husband, Arthur, together with Collingwood. Ruskin died on the 20th Janaury 1900 and was buried in Consiton Churchyard.
In the 1930’s Beatrix Potter moved to nearby Yew Tree Farm and would visit Holywath for occasional haircuts! A friend of Mrs Hext she called at the house to request the help of the housekeeper, a seamstress, to darn her jumpers and take up hems. It is possible that all of these artists and authors helped form this little museum collection. We can be certain they saw and marvelled at it.
Also in the ‘visitors’ book is W.G. Collingwood (1854 – 1932) an author, artist and antiquary who spent two years working with Ruskin at Brantwood and became his assistant travelling extensively with him in Switzerland. Six of his watercolours were on the walls of Holywath house. The Collingwood’s settled in the Lake District in 1883 and became friends with Arthur Ransome who learned to sail in Collingwood’s boat ‘Swallow’. W.G.Collingwood later founded the Ruskin Museum at Coniston in 1901.
Kate Greenaway (1846 – 1901) wrote and illustrated a short story for Violet Severn, the daughter of Joan Severn, Ruskin’s cousin and heir, which was found in the contents of Holywath House. John Ruskin corresponded extensively with Kate Greenaway and at one time she anticipated a marriage proposal from him. After 1880 Ruskin lived increasingly as a recluse and invalid at Brantwood cared for by Joan Severn and her husband, Arthur, together with Collingwood. Ruskin died on the 20th Janaury 1900 and was buried in Consiton Churchyard.
In the 1930’s Beatrix Potter moved to nearby Yew Tree Farm and would visit Holywath for occasional haircuts! A friend of Mrs Hext she called at the house to request the help of the housekeeper, a seamstress, to darn her jumpers and take up hems. It is possible that all of these artists and authors helped form this little museum collection. We can be certain they saw and marvelled at it.
English Antique Mahogany Two Door Collectors Cabinet
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