George IV Period Games Table Attributed to Gillows of Lancaster

A near pair of card tables firmly attributed to Gillows of Lancaster. Designed in the Louis XV manner, and constructed using a finely grained Circassian burr walnut, with kingwood crossbanding and boxwood stringing, with gilt bronze adornments; rising from swept cabriole legs, dressed with foliate gilt bronze sabots, and female espagnolettes, the hinged and rotating serpentine tops, reveal playing surfaces of inset red baize within gilt tooled morocco...

A walnut serpentine card table firmly attributed to Gillows Constructed using finely figured Circassian walnut, dressed with gilt bronze mounts; rising from slender kingwood banded ...

A William IV Period Mahogany Centre Table Attributed to Gillows Constructed from a flamed Honduras Mahogany, book-matched with great effect on the top; the table supported on an inc...

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...

An early Victorian Goncalo Alves card table attributed to Gillows, the hinged rectangular top with bead and reel edging, the green baize (replaced) interior within quarter veneered corners, the turned, knopped end supports gadrooned and set upon two feet with lion’s paw feet and disguised castors. English, circa 1850. For a pair of very similar Goncalo Alves card tables belonging to Miss K...

An Exceptional Boulle and Ormolu Mounted Games Table in the French Louis XVI style attributed to Thomas Parker (active 1805-1830) English Circa 1825 C...

A fine Regency mahogany occasional table attributed to Gillows of Lancaster, with tray top above frieze drawers and beaded border, on turned tapering legs with castors. Circa 1828 ...