A rare New Zealand table cabinet, circa 1890, by William Norrie, unlabelled, the four interior drawers with pencil inscriptions identifying the timbers used.
There are several notable features of this cabinet which confirm an attribution to William Norrie; in particular, the idiosyncratic elongated star inlay pattern to the door panels, used widely in his more common hinged top boxes and tables, the styling of the mouldings, and the hand of the pencil inscriptions to the drawers.
The pencil inscriptions to the four internal drawers read:
‘Rewa Rewa (Rewarewa) name of wood in front of this drawer’
‘Totara Bur’
‘Mottled Kauri’
‘Puriri, or a great Sage in Māori language’
Totara is regarded as a symbol of strength and much prized in Māori culture.
This cabinet has been little used, evident by the stiff action of the hinges, the negligible wear to the drawers, and the bright colours to the specimen timbers, clearly unexposed to natural light.
Dimensions: 37cm high, 35cm wide, 26cm deep
