In the early 19th Century, such metamorphic drawing-room tables, with French-style brass enrichments, were a speciality of cabinet-makers such as John McLean of Marylebone Street, one of whose trestle-supported and compass-ended tables with concealed games-well was illustrated in Thomas Sheraton's, The Cabinet Dictionary, London, 1803 (S. Redburn, 'John McLean and Son', Furniture History, Leeds, 1978, pp. 31-37, pl.329). George Smith also featured a 'Backgammon Work Table' in his Collection of Designs for Household Furniture and Interior Decoration, London, 1808, (pl. 78). A similar table-top featured on a table sold anonymously in these Rooms, 18 April 1996, lot 194, while the form of the bacchic paw-feet corresponds to those of 'An Inlaid rosewood & Buhl circular lib[rar]y Table' listed at Hornby Castle, Yorkshire in 1839, and sold from the Coke Collection from Jenkyn Place, in these Rooms, 17 October 1996, lot 105.