Furniture

George II mahogany games table, 18th century. Having a rectangular top the front central area is recessed, a frieze drawer, resting on cabriole legs with acanthus carved knees termin...

With rectangular top with drop leaves and sliding game board opening to a backgammon surface over a false and working drawers, raised on square tapered legs. Casters.

With triple top opening to a velvet playing surface. With interior well. Raised on circular tapered legs with carved lappet design at top of legs. Ending on...

The rectangular hinged top with a rosette-carved edge, on a blind fretwork frieze and pierced brackets, raised on molded square legs.

With hinged serpentine top with carved edge opening to a baize lined game surface and conforming frieze raised on square legs with carved spandrels. Swing leg.

Circa 1835 William IV period games table, English. Designed as a side console table when not in use for gaming. Flame mahogany veneers & solid mahogany. The swivel top reveals baized...

This Irish George II/III carved walnut concertina action fold over games table is a fine example of Irish furniture from the mid-18th century. Made of solid walnut with a carved top ...

A period William IV English mahogany sewing stand work table with inlaid chessboard top. circa 1830s Combining sophisticated elegance, warmth, and functional design, this outstandin...

Rectangular serpentine hinged top with playing card inlays on reverse as well. Conforming serpentine frieze with square tapered legs.

A fine French Napoleon III Second Empire Period (1852-1870) fliptop card game table. Make a statement with this striking example of high-quality Parisian craftsmanship. Exquisitel...

A fine Federal period American Classical maple morphing table from the early 19th century. Exquisitely hand-crafted in Baltimore, Maryland, United States, circa 1830, exceptionally...

An unusual George IV specimen marble backgammon table attributed to Gillows. This rectangular table is strongly attributed to Gillows. It has a rectangular top inlaid with a central chess board flanked by two backgammon fields, all inlaid with a multitude of specimen marbles. One edge carved and gilded with the Latin motto ‘Turpe est in patria vivere et patriam ignorare’. The oak base has a drawer for cards and playing pieces, all raised on a square section support with four splayed legs and the original brass castors. English, circa 1830. Provenance: Geoffrey Bennison Ltd, London, November 1983 The Mermaid House Collection, St. John’s Wood, London Property of a gentleman Private American collection The form of the base of this table is related to several known Gillows commissions from the late Regency period and the quality of the cabinet work also suggests that firm attribution to the firm. Backgammon tables, rather than more general games tables, are unusual at this date and the use of inlaid specimen marbles in the top suggests a client of wealth. Additionally, the Latin text on the edge of the table provides further clues. The text, Turpe est in patria vivere et patriam ignorare, translates as “it is shameful to live in your homeland and not know it”. This phrase dates back to antiquity but rose to prominence once again in the mid-18th century when used by the botanist and key Enlightenment figure Carl Linnaeus in his work on the native flora of Sweden. The combination of this phrase and the use of native English timbers and marbles is promoting English raw materials and craftsmanship at a time when the noble and the wealthy were focussed on European pietra dura tables. Mermaid House in St John’s Wood was re-designed by Chester Jones...