Antique Pollard Oak and Marquetry Oval Victorian Dining Table, 19th Century

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Antique Pollard Oak and Marquetry Oval Victorian Dining Table, 19th Century

About the Item

There is no mistaking the style and design of this exquisite Victorian pollard oak and marquetry extending dining table, circa 1880 in date. This stunning table has two leaves which can be added or removed as required to suit the occasion and can comfortably seat six. The top and base has been handcrafted from solid oak and the top has been veneered in beautiful Pollard oak, which is seen in the intricate burr on the table top, with a decorative band of marquetry on a burr walnut ground with a decorative carved and moulded edge. The table is oval when the leaves are inserted but round when they are removed. The table rests on a heavy turned and carved central column and quadruple supports carved with dragon's heads blowing fire and raised on paw feet. Whatever the function of this gorgeous table, it will make a profound impression on your guests and will receive the maximum amount of attention wherever it is placed. Condition: In excellent condition having been beautifully cleaned and polished in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation. Dimensions in cm: Height 80 x width 193 x depth 114 - fully extended Height 80 x width 103 x depth 114 - With both leaves removed Dimensions in inches: Height 31.5 x width 76.0 x depth 44.9 - fully extended Height 31.5 x width 40.6 x depth 44.9 - With both leaves removed. Pollard oak Pollarding is a pruning system in which the upper branches of a tree are removed, promoting a dense head of foliage and branches. It has been common in Europe since medieval times and is practised today in urban areas worldwide, primarily to maintain trees at a predetermined height. The bole of the tree, constantly cut back over a period of years, will eventually form a lump, or ‘burr’, which when sawn for veneer, gives a lovely grained, swirling figure. The effect is similar to that of burr walnut with its distinctive speckled grain. Burrs, or ‘burls’, are growths which appear on the side of tree trunks, resulting from a tree undergoing some form of stress. They may be caused by an injury, virus or fungus. During the 19th century great strides were made in the mechanisation of cabinet making. Marc Isambard Brunel [ Isambard Kingdom’s father] built the first steam driven saw mill, and invented a circular saw that could be used to cut veneers thinly and evenly for the first time. He also developed the first hydraulic veneer press. The figured wood cut from burrs and pollards is notoriously difficult to cut and lay: the wild grain which makes it so attractive results in a very delicate, brittle veneer. The new machines enabled the Victorian craftsmen to make the most of these beautiful timbers. Marquetry is decorative artistry where pieces of material (such as wood, mother of pearl, pewter, brass silver or shell) of different colours are inserted into surface wood veneer to form intricate patterns such as scrolls or flowers. The technique of veneered marquetry had its inspiration in 16th century Florence. Marquetry elaborated upon Florentine techniques of inlaying solid marble slabs with designs formed of fitted marbles, jaspers and semi-precious stones. This work, called opere di commessi, has medieval parallels in Central Italian "Cosmati"-work of inlaid marble floors, altars and columns. The technique is known in English as pietra dura, for the "hardstones" used: onyx, jasper, cornelian, lapis lazuli and colored marbles. In Florence, the Chapel of the Medici at San Lorenzo is completely covered in a colored marble facing using this demanding jig-sawn technique. Techniques of wood marquetry were developed in Antwerp and other Flemish centers of luxury cabinet-making during the early 16th century. The craft was imported full-blown to France after the mid-seventeenth century, to create furniture of unprecedented luxury being made at the royal manufactory of the Gobelins, charged with providing furnishings to decorate Versailles and the other royal residences of Louis XIV. Early masters of French marquetry were the Fleming Pierre Golle and his son-in-law, André-Charles Boulle, who founded a dynasty of royal and Parisian cabinet-makers (ébénistes) and gave his name to a technique of marquetry employing shell and brass with pewter in arabesque or intricately foliate designs.

Dimensions:
Height: 31.5 in (80 cm)Width: 75.99 in (193 cm)Depth: 44.89 in (114 cm)
Style:
Victorian (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Oak,Marquetry
Place of Origin:
England
Period:
1880-1889
Date of Manufacture:
circa 1880
Condition:
Seller Location:
London, GB
Reference Number:
Seller: 092351stDibs: LU950612281641