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An Important George III Mahogany Writing Table

About the Item

This very fine mahogany writing table made in England in the French taste would have been for only the most current and fashionable people of the time. The table has a serpentine top that opens to reveal a fitted interior all banded in ebony trim. The frieze has a blind drawer and slide, the whole is raised on very fine and delicate cabriole legs ending in very small and delicate casters. Throughout the wood selection and placement is designed to highlight the shape and form of the frieze and to outline the tapering of the legs down to the casters. Small movable forms such as this with specific functions had become very fashionable in the middle of the century with the advent of certain London cabinet makers. Up until this time often writing tables and dressing tables or work tables served several or all these functions. Because of the refined and often very delicate nature of there construction tables like this have often been damaged or destroyed. This fine table is in excellent condition and all the pulls and casters are original. Further, we have found another very similar example illustrated in "The Antiques Directory of Furniture" page 430 figure 3 under the heading writing tables. The illustrated one has a lower shelf but in all other design elements including the fitted interior, the small gallery edge and shape of the topsides and scale and tapper of the legs the two tables are the same A very similar table was sold at Christie's New York Oct 21 1999 sale (lot 87) and realized $27,600. The following is from the catalog for that sale; "Executed in the French manner propagated by cabinet makers such as John Cobb (d 1778) and Thomas Chippendale (d 1778), who supplied a writing table of similar character to Sir Rowland Winn for Nostell Priory as early as 1766(illustrated in A. Coleridge, Chippendale Furniture, London 1968, pl 354) this form of serpentine and hinged table-top concealing dressing- compartments and a mirror subsequently featured as a "Lady's Dressing table" pattern in Messrs. A. Hepplewhite & Co's The Cabinet-Makers and Upholsterer's Guide,1788, pl.2. It also featured on the trade card for "Jno Macklane Cabinet Maker and UPHOLDER in Little Newport Street near Leicester Square, London, and this is almost certainly the same cabinet maker as the more famous John McLean of Upper Marybowle Street"
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 30.5 in (77.47 cm)Width: 26.5 in (67.31 cm)Depth: 19.25 in (48.9 cm)
  • Style:
    George III (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    Circa 1775
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use. very good to excellent condition throughout.... slight separation in top as to be expected.
  • Seller Location:
    Hudson, NY
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: 0904168113519

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