Strauss & co - 18 March 2019, Cape Town

110 401 An important Cape stinkwood and parquetry bureau cabinet, late 18th century in the German taste , the upper section with a moulded breakfront cornice above a bowfront cupboard flanked by two rows of five serpentine- fronted drawers, the fall-front enclosing a shelf and two pairs of drawers, the lower section with three later long drawers, restorations, later silver handles and escutcheons, 226 cm high, 140,5 cmwide, 70 cm deep R  –   The inside back of this cupboard is inscribed in pencil with various names and the date 1777. These names possibly relate to Marthinus Theunissen, an official in the service of the Dutch East India Company, who served at the outpost Soetmelkvlei in the district of Caledon, and Conrad Greeve (called Gräbe in the death register of Swellendam), a joiner, resident in 1800 at Warmbath, Caledon. Gräbe came to the Cape from Marburg in Hesse. According to the previous owner, this cupboard originally came from the farm Boontjieskraal in the Caledon district. detail