Adam's The Irish Library Wednesday 17th April 2019

106 137 AN EARLY 19TH CENTURY JAMAICAN SATIN WOOD, ROSEWOOD AND SPECIMEN-WOOD WORK TABLE, DWWULEXWHG WR 5DOSK 7XUQEXOO RI .LQJVWRQ -DPDLFD WKH UHFWDQJXODU FURVVEDQGHG WRS ZLWK OR]HQJH GHFRUDWHG EDQGV ȵDQNLQJ a spiral disc centered with a star, above three drawers, the top drawer with a secretaire writing surface, the middle drawer with an arrangement of lidded compartments above a well drawer, all with turned timber knop handles raised on a carved leaf and berry scroll quatrefoil base and carved paw feet. 66 x 48cm Born in Scotland in 1788, Ralph Turnbull appears to have moved to Jamaica with this two brothers, Thomas and Cuthbert, in the early 19th century. An advertisement in the Kingston Chronicle in 1819 indicates that he was in partnership with his brothers at that time, though they would appear to have had separate businesses by 1823. He was also married about this time and he and his wife Jane had three children. Ralph Turnbull is best known for his idiosyncratic furniture, with its unusual exotic veneers. It appears that he was the only one of the Turnbull’s to actually label his work. Such was the quality of his work that he was awarded a most prestigious commission - a large suite of furniture for the Governor of Jamaica, the Marquis of Sligo. Peter Howe Browne (1788 - 1845) was the son and heir of John Browne, 1st Marquess of Sligo. He was educated at Eton and Cambridge and on the death of his father in 1809 he became 2nd Marquess of Sligo inheriting his father’s titles and immense fortunes, including over 130,000 acres of County Mayo. He also inherited two plantations in Jamaica from his Kelly grandmother. In 1834-35 he was Governor and Vice-Admiral of Jamaica and set about reforming the status of slaves on the island and im- SURYLQJ WKH ZRUN DQG OLYLQJ FRQGLWLRQV WKH\ KDG KDG WR HQGXUH 6OLJR ZDV WKH ȴUVW SODQWDWLRQ RZQHU WR LQLWLDWH D ZDJH V\VWHP for black workers and later, after emancipation, to divide his lands into numerous farms to be leased to the former slaves. 7KH SODQWHUV ZKR ZHUH GHDG VHW DJDLQVW KLP IRU LQLWLDWLQJ VXFK UHIRUPV FRPPHQFHG D FDPSDLJQ RI YLOLȴFDWLRQ DJDLQVW KLP FXOPLQDWLQJ LQ KLV UHPRYDO IURP RɝFH LQ ODWH +LV ZRUN WRZDUGV WKH HPDQFLSDWLRQ RI VODYHV FRQWLQXHG KRZHYHU DQG KLV pamphlet, Ȇ-DPDLFD 8QGHU WKH $SSUHQWLFHVKLS 6\VWHPȇ JUHDWO\ LQȵXHQFHG WKH GHEDWH RQ HPDQFLSDWLRQ LQ WKH %ULWLVK SDUOLDPHQW in 1838. 6OLJR LV UHQRZQHG ZLGHO\ DV RQH RI WKH SULQFLSDO LQȵXHQFHV LQ WKH DEROLWLRQ RI VODYHU\ DQG KLV SXEOLF DQQRXQFHPHQW LQ 0DUFK 1838 that he would free all apprentices on his own estates in Jamaica drove the government to declaring full emancipation RQ $XJXVW 6OLJR LV DFNQRZOHGJHG DV Ȇ&KDPSLRQ RI WKH 6ODYHVȇ DQG WKH WRZQ RI 6OLJRYLOOH -DPDLFD WKH ȴUVW IUHH VODYH village in the world, still bears his name. € 2,000 - 4,000