Lot Essay
The present writing-table was executed by the celebrated Norwich firm of carvers and gilders established by Jeremiah Freeman (d.1823) and William Freeman (d.1839). Its style relates to that adopted by the firm in the 1820's for furniture supplied to Felbrigg Hall and Blickling Hall, Norfolk, while their St. Andrews' stencil has been recorded on an antique table bearing the painted date 1833 (see Christie's, London, 12 June 2003, lot 1110).
The palm-wreathed Library sofa-table is designed in the robust 'antique' fashion with its pilasters richly sculpted in bas relief with golden Apollonian palms issuing from waved volutes of lyre-scrolled and acanthus-enriched reeds. Its architecture relates to that of a table illustrated in R. Ackermann's Repository of Arts, 1822.
The palm-wreathed Library sofa-table is designed in the robust 'antique' fashion with its pilasters richly sculpted in bas relief with golden Apollonian palms issuing from waved volutes of lyre-scrolled and acanthus-enriched reeds. Its architecture relates to that of a table illustrated in R. Ackermann's Repository of Arts, 1822.