Important Pair of George IV Specimen Tables

A very large and extremely rare William 1V mahogany extending Jupes table By Johnstone and Jeanes. The round extendable top with two original set...

A George IV rosewood writing table. The rectangular tooled leather top, with a rosewood cross banded edge, and a pierced brass gallery, above two fr...

A fine George IV burr oak and brass inlayed centre table The circular top with a brass inlaid border, above a carved gadrooned edge, resting on a p...

A rare pair of George IV mahogany torcheres, the upper sections having superbly carved urns of acanthus and bunches of grapes hanging from the vine leaves, above a well figured panel...

A fine pair of George IV mahogany carver chairs. The carved shaped backs, above a reeded central splat, with stuff over seats, resting on turned ...

A fine pair of George IV Irish library armchairs, the well shaped backs with scroll shaped profile, acanthus carved arms, resting on turned fluted legs, with lotus leaf carving and b...

Constructed in a finely figured goncalo alves; the end supports having square uprights, each enclosing three tapering and turned ‘triple spindles’, with ‘running pearl’ adornments, a...

A Fine Library Table in the manner of Gillows of Lancaster Constructed in a very fine and distinctively marked Brazilian goncalo alves; of end support form, rising from a scrolled s...

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...

A Very Fine George IV Parcel-Gilt Amboyna Centre Table Attributed to Thomas & George Seddon. English, Circa 1830. The table is of finely figured Amboyna with a circular tilt-top above a triform column with parcel-gilt scrolled supports. It is raised on a conforming plinth base with foliate carved feet and concealed castors. George Seddon was the eighth child of John Seddon of Blakelea, Lancashire. His father apprenticed him to George Clemaphon of Cripplegate to learn cabinet making. He became a master cabinet maker. (He was Master of the Joiner’s Company in 1795). In the early 1750s he was sufficiently successful to acquire London House, Aldersgate Street. It consisted of extensive workshops, where furniture was made, and showrooms to display the finished products. London House had formerly been a palace of the Bishops of London. The panelled state-rooms were ideal for the display of fashionable furniture; and the chapel and library made convenient workshops. When Seddon married, he converted the garden house and infirmary into the family home. Seddon was the biggest furniture maker of his time. His furniture store covered a two acre site in Aldersgate Street. His workshop there was described by London visitor Sophie v. La Roche in 1786: "We drove first to Mr. Seddon's, a cabinet-maker,...He employs four hundred apprentices on any work connected with the making of household furniture—joiners, carvers, gilders...

We are delighted to offer for sale this important William Iv Circa 1830 Flamed Mahogany Spiral Column base centre table with stunning Pietra Dura Speciamin...

A late Georgian table in the Gillows manner Constructed in goncalo alves, having an inset Florentine Pietra Dura platform; of free-standing, turned and tapering end support form, wi...