BY WARING AND GILLOW, LATE 19TH/EARLY 20TH CENTURY

The revived interest in Adam neoclassical style furniture was promoted during the latter part of the 19th century by firms such as Waring & Gillow whose exhibitions at Paris (1878) and Manchester (1882) showcased replicas of their own 18th century designs, as well as new interpretations. The firm was formed through the amalgamation of S. J. Waring & Sons, the retailers, with the eighteenth century firm, Gillows of Lancaster. By 1900, the firm was one of the largest "merchant houses" specializing in revival furniture. In the earlier part of this century, Messrs Gillow are credited with a copy of the elaborately inlaid Harewood House desk (C. Gilbert, op. cit., fig. 444). In view of the quality of the workmanship of the offered table and the other known productions by the firm of Waring & Gillow, it would seem likely that this firm could have been responsible for the execution of this table. In the 1930's, the 7th Earl of Harewood carried out major restorations at Harewood House and commissioned the revival of some of the Adam work.