A RARE NEW ZEALAND NATIVE SPECIMEN WOOD PARQUETRY 'CARD' TABLE

A RARE NEW ZEALAND NATIVE SPECIMEN WOOD PARQUETRY 'CARD' TABLE BY ANTON SEUFFERT, AUCKLAND, DATED '1867' the circular top inlaid with parquetry star motifs with geometric patterns on a basket weave ground, with various timbers including: totara, rewarewa, orata, kauri, puriri, himu and malai, the specimen moulded edge with a pull-out section the underside with a black maker's label inscribed 'A. Seufert, Cabinet Maker, Auckland, New Zealand', revealing a silver presentaton plaque inscribed 'Presented to Major Ed. Brooke, R.E. By a few Ladies of Auckland, 11th March 1867', on a screw-off tripod base with a fluted stem on cabriole legs carved in relief with Maori style motifs and triple dots representing past, present and future, on scrolling feet 76cm high, 68cn diameter

Catalogue Note

Anton Seuffert was born in Bohemia in 1815 and later joined his father in the Vienna firm of cabinetmakers, Carl Leistler. Seuffert Snr and Jnr organised the firm's stand at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851, their most notable piece of furniture being the spectacular Gothic revival cabinet presented by Emperor Franz Joseph I to Queen Victoria, now in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Anton Seuffert emigrated to Auckland in 1859 and quickly established premises under his own name, specialising in high quality marquetry productions. He exhibited a pictorial marquetry secretaire consisting of 30,000 pieces of New Zealand timbers at the South Kensington International Exhibition of 1862. The secretaire was later acquired by the citizens of Auckland for 300 guineas and presented as a gift to Queen Victoria. It is still in the Royal Collection. Seuffert received further patronage from the Duke of Edinburgh in 1869. He changed his name from Seufert to Seuffert in 1869 and he died in 1887. Parquetry 'card tables' such as the present lot were intended for depositing 'calling' or business cards.

Major Edward Brooke of the Royal Engineers

Edward Thomas Brooke (1834-1909) was born in Ireland. He was the son of Reverend R. Sinclair Brooke of the Mariner's Church, Kingstowne, Ireland. He joined the Royal Engineers at the close of the Crimean War, but saw active service for the first time in the Maori War of 1863-64. He was twice mentioned in despatches and received his brevet of major for his services at the battle of Rangiriri, where he was wounded. He was then the youngest major in the Service. He was in the Transvaal at the time of the annexation of the country by Sir T. Shepstone and hoisted the British flag at Pretoria on that occasion. He retired in 1886. The Battle of Rangiriri The Battle of Rangiriri was a major engagement in the invasion of Waikato which took place between 20th-21st of November 1863 during the New Zealand wars. More than 1400 British troops defeated about 500 warriors of the Kingitanga (Maori King Movement) which was resisting the expansion of the British settlement and colonial rule in the North Island.

The Ladies of Auckland

The dedication on the silver plaque probably relates to the Auckland Ladies' Benevolent Society. It was established around 1857 and its chief object was to 'relieve cases of genuine distress that do not come under the jurisdiction of other bodies; to assist the poor and needy; and to systematically visit the dwellings of the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and comfort the desolate and oppressed'. Why the table was presented to Major Edward Brooke is open to question, was it for his heroic efforts in the Rangiriri wars? Or for good works done for the Maori community?

For similar examples recently sold at auction see Sotheby's, London, 6th December 2011, lot 145 which fetched £17,500 (including premium) and Christie's, London, Works of Art from the Collection of the Late Professor Michael Jaffe, 19th March 2020, lot 232, £10,000 (including premium). Literature See Brian Peet, The Seuffert Legacy, pp.111-117 for similar examples and a discussion of Seuffert's card tables.