Portable desk by David Morley of CarmarthenMahogany with boxwood edging inscribed beneath drawer “Thos Jenkins Landilo fecit May 24 1794 at Mr Morley’s cabt makers Carmn” Carmarthenshire dated 1794 22¼″ wide x 8¼″high x 11″deep (when closed) Price £1,450.00 David Morley was born in Carmarthen in 1760 he was apprenticed in 1774 until 1780 to John Owen a Manchester cabinet maker. On his return to Carmarthen in the 1780′s he set up his own business in Lammas Street and was described as “cabinet manufactory and looking-glass warehouse”. Morley was patronised by the large and prospering middle-class trade of Carmarthenshire and by leading local families such as the Vaughan, Cawdor, Lewis and Mansell. This portable desk is the earliest signed piece discovered to date. A portrait of David Morley and items of his furniture can be seen at Carmarthen County Museum, Abergwili, Carmarthenshire. Information on David Morley by Luke Millar. |
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