The cabinet has a central door flanked by four Corinthian columns along the façade with gilt bronze base and capitals. Empty dowel holes suggest that the top of the cabinet was originally finished with gilt bronze statuettes or finials.
Imported to England at what would have been great expense by Viscount Tyrconnel, the cabinet is first listed on a 1737 inventory in the Dining Room of Tyrconnel’s London house in Arlington Street.
Hidden secrets
The cabinet’s front is made up of thirteen drawers and, although locks and keyholes were added in the 19th century, was originally designed with intriguing and secretive ways of being opened.
The first two drawers are at the base and open simply by pulling, which then gives access to the remaining ten drawers. These are opened using a series of hidden pin keys and spring locks.
The central door itself is opened by pushing the lower drawer back to make it pop forward (an early version of a push catch) and, when removed, reveals a further six secret drawers. These still retain many of their original blue ribbon pulls.
Conservation project
In 2009-10 the National Trust restored the cabinet, removing late 19th century black varnish from the ebony. Early 20th century additions of gilded knobs and beading were also removed from the drawer fronts.