AFTER A DESIGN BY THOMAS SHERATON

Thomas Sheraton illustrated a 1792 pattern for this 'Lady's Writing-Table', with candle-branches fitted on the top at each side, in his The Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer's Drawing Book, 1793 (part III, pl. 37). He noted 'The style of finishing them is neat, and rather elegant. They are frequently made of satin-wood, cross-banded, japanned, and the top lined with green leather'. He also wrote 'The convenience of this table is, that a lady, when writing at it, may both receive the benefit of the fire, and have her face screened from its scorching heat'. A satinwood writing-table of this pattern, fitted with branches is illustrated in P. Macquoid and R. Edwards, The Dictionary of English Furniture, London, rev.ed., 1954, p. 256, fig. 37.
Another mahogany table, without screen, but with the same inlay pattern is illustrated in F.L. Hinckley, Heppelwhite, Sheraton and Regency Furniture, New York, 1987, p. 83, fig. 156.
An almost identical writing-table was sold anonymously, Sotheby's London, 29 May 1964, lot 92.