Blue John and Ashford Black Marble Table

This exceptionally rare circular expanding dining table was designed by Robert Jupe and crafted by the English cabinetmakers Johnstone & Jeanes, successors to Johnstone, Jupe & Co. One of only a handful known from the firm, this table illustrates the Victorian era's quest to combine technical innovation with superb and beautiful craftsmanship. Complete with its original leaves, the table’s circular top is formed from eight separate segments. When the top is rotated, an ingenious swivel mechanism causes the sections to diverge, allowing a set of small or large leaves to be inserted for an adjustable increase in size. The design for the table was patented by Robert Jupe in 1835, who had envisioned “an improved expanding table so constructed that the sections composing its surface may be caused to diverge from a common center and that the spaces caused thereby may be filled up by inserting leaves or filling pieces.” The first of these fascinating tables were created between 1835 and 1840 during his partnership with John Johnstone and their firm of Johnstone, Jupe & Co. in London. Jupe left the company in 1840, after which the firm changed its name due to a new partnership and became Johnstone & Jeanes. The firm would eventually achieve international fame for its remarkable designs, exhibiting a "circular table made on the expanding principle" like this one at the Great Exhibition of 1851. Jupe was not alone in his fascination with combining the technical merits of engineering and mechanics with the more artful pursuit of cabinet making. The first half of the 19th century saw a prolific increase in the popularity of applying new ideas to furniture principles, which allowed furniture to serve many purposes. The resulting “patent” furniture...

This ingenious late Regency card table was designed with both beauty and entertainment in mind. When not in use, its folded D-shaped top sits against the wall providing an elegant si...

The exquisite art of pietre dure is at its absolute finest in this spectacular pair of Russian ormolu and malachite plinths. True works of art of the Restauration period, these plinths each feature a matching pietre dure mosaic crafted of the finest stones, all chosen to create a sense of depth and dimensionality in the final work. Depicting an onyx vase with tulips, roses, daffodils, magnolia and other flowers, these pietre dure panels are among the finest examples of this ancient art we have seen. The pietre dure is complemented by malachite panels of the highest quality, exhibiting exceptional depth through its extraordinary cellular structure. Malachite is one of Russia’s most precious stones, and its presence in these plinths indicates commission and ownership by an individual of considerable status. Mounted in an excellent stepped ormolu base, these plinths originally served as bases for vases or candelabra. The overall execution and appearance of these plinths is very characteristic of the taste associated with the immensely wealthy collector Nicolas Demidoff. As early as 1806, Demidoff had commissioned the Parisian goldsmith Henri August to supply a guéridon; in 1819, he ordered famed French bronzier Pierre-Philippe Thomire to supply mounts for a massive malachite vase (now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York), as well as a console table with legs in the form of Nike. Other commissions included a table given as a gift to Grand Duke Leopoldo II of Florence, now in the Pitti Palace. Demidoff eventually settled in Florence in 1822 and became Russian minister to the Tuscan Court. Elevated to the rank of Count of San Donato by the Grand Duke, he built a magnificent villa at San Donato on the site of lands formerly owned by the Medici. The villa was later inherited by Anatole, his son, Prince of San Donato, and there are records which confirm transactions he had with the Opificio delle Pietre Dure. The 19th century proved to be the golden age of Russian malachite. The stone became a sign of prestige and a token of wealth, so much so that Russian papers of the time wrote: "To afford having a big piece wrought in malachite is synonymous to owning diamonds." Year after year the Russian (Romanov) treasury paid increasingly unreasonable prices to hoard the best malachite, much of which went into Romanov palaces and extravagant objets d'art. The Hermitage Museum possesses a collection of over two hundred examples of this “palatial” malachite...

This important George III tazza is attributed to famed Scottish-Swedish architect Sir William Chambers. The magnificent piece features a base carved from statuary marble in the shape of a stylized dolphin, which relates to Chambers' extraordinary 18th-century architectural designs. A marvel of beauty and craftsmanship, the tazza is also inset with specimens of Derbyshire Blue John in both the plinth and bowl. Blue John is one of the most in-demand decorative stones in the world, and its inclusion in this piece elevates the tazza to a true Georgian masterpiece. Due to its popularity, the largest veins of Blue John had disappeared by the early 19th century, and only a small amount of the stone remains today. Because of its scarcity, most examples of Blue John furniture feature only small inset veneers. By contrast, this rare tazza features not one, but two substantial specimens of the stone. It represents some of the last ornamental wares created of such grand size and proportion, though other smaller examples still grace the stately British estates of Chatsworth, Hardwick, Kedleston and Haddon, among others. Not only does this tazza boast a highly rare material, but it was also designed by one of the most important architects and designers of the Georgian era. Sir William Chambers was a Scottish-Swedish architect based in London who was active during the reigns of Kings George II and George III. Celebrated for his combination of English Palladianism...

Tremendous size and exquisite ormolu detailing distinguish this important 19th-century French pedestal. Crafted of ebony and ebonized woods, this outstanding fixture boasts intricate brass inlay and bold ormolu of exceptional quality on all four sides. Standing just over six feet tall and raised upon ormolu lion...

This bold and unique serpentiform pedestal table is the work of renowned Italian artisan Umberto Bellotto. The creative design twists three slithering...

Very nice Italian side table or pedestal, fabricated in the early 80's. It can also be used as a coffee table. It is handcrafted out of very beautiful black marble. Under the item t...

Contemporary black marble & steel side table - Bijou Black by Adam Court for Okha Design: Adam Court Material: patinated blue black mild steel frame clear / grey / bronze glass insert / marble insert options Dimensions: 610W X 450D X 580H mm 24W X 17.7D X 22.8H in Handcrafted in Portugal OKHA: OKHA is a small batch producer of bespoke furniture, lighting and objet d'art. Creative Director and designer, Adam Court has a background in fine art and has worked in a broad range of creative formats across many genres; including film, fashion and photography. With his explorative, forward-thinking and intuitive approach to design, unconstrained by formal training, he has developed the brand into the prominent South African design...

A vintage column from table suitable as a small tea table or end table. With gilt laurel leaf motif against a striking deep rouge base and having a gray flecked marble top, the table...

An onyx marble side table or pedestal with wonderful textures and shades. Hand-crafted by local artisans on the island of Java, this is a wonderful object to bring warmth to any spac...

This "floating" doon table, carefully hand-carved into a perfect block, has a graceful reveal at its base, giving it a modern lightness. The bronze color o...

New marble top and gilt painted iron hexagonal side table, end table or pedestal.