Queen Anna Sophie’s cabinet

It is not every day that we have the pleasure of offering a piece of furniture with such interesting provenance as this Chinese-style cabinet. It is made of black, brown and red lacquer and decorated with Chinese figures in gold. The reverse of the cabinet is branded with the crowned monogram AS 1731 of Queen Anna Sophie.

The cabinet was part of Queen Anna Sophie’s (1693-1743) décor at Clausholm Castle in the period from 1730–1743. After her death, the cabinet was sold at auction, gracing Odden Manor for a number of years. From here, it passed via Birkumgaard Manor on the Gjøl peninsula to pharmacist S.C. Strøyberg’s home “Jens Bangs Stenhus” in Aalborg. Since then, it has been passed down through his family.

Love and the masked ball

It was during a masked ball at Koldinghus in 1711 that King Frederik IV (1671–1730) and Countess Anna Sophie Reventlow first set eyes on each other. The following summer, the king, who was otherwise married to Queen Louise, carried off the beautiful young countess from her home at Clausholm Castle in Jutland. In 1712, they were married morganatically (left-handed marriage) at Sønderborg Castle, and the king bestowed several Danish estates, a sizeable annual appanage, expensive gifts and, not least, the noble title of “Duchess of Schleswig” upon her.

Marriage to the king

Although the relationship created a great deal of discord in the royal family, Anna Sophie Reventlow became the centre of a rich social life which revolved around the king, and it is known from their personal letters, among other sources, that the love and passion between them was mutual. Within days of Queen Louise’s death in 1721, they were joined in matrimony (right-handed marriage), and that same year, Anna Sophie Reventlow was crowned Queen of Denmark-Norway. When Frederik IV died in 1730, the queen was banished by her stepson Christian VI to her birthplace Clausholm Castle, where she spent the rest of her life – surrounded, among other things, by the cabinet up for auction.

Auction: Thursday 4 June at 2 pm in Bredgade 33 in Copenhagen

Preview: 28 May – 1 June at the same address

See all the lots up for the auction

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