Lot Essay
When Robert Jupe patented his 'Improved Expanding Table' in 1835, he was in partnership with John Johnstone at 67 New Bond Street. The firm was known as Johnstone, Jupe & Co., and this is the stamp or engraved signature that appears on tables made between 1835 and 1840. By 1840 Robert Jupe had left the partnership to establish his own firm in Welbeck Street and his name alone usually appears on later tables with this mechanism. Following Jupe's departure John Johnstone formed a new partnership with Jeanes and their combined stamp appears on a variety of furniture in the early Victorian period. COMPARABLE 'JUPE' TABLES
A 'Jupe' dining-table, with baluster support and concave-sided
quadripartite platform base and with a single set of leaves was sold anonymously, Bonham's, London 12 February 2002, lot 85 (£130,000 including premium). Another, probably with two sets of leaves was sold anonymously, Gorringes, Bexhill, 4-5 November 2003, lot 1172 (£130,000 including premium). Another with two sets of leaves, was sold anonymously, Bonham's, London, 9 April 2002, lot 124 (£120,000 including premium). A late Victorian oak 'Jupe' table with two sets of leaves was sold anonymously, Sotheby's, London, 22 November 2007, lot 239 (£176,000 including premium). These examples are all of significantly smaller size than the present lot which itself is of unusually large diameter. A table stamped by Johnstone & Jeanes, with two sets of leaves and reeded serpentine legs, extending to 97 in. was sold anonymously, Christie's, London 8 June 2006, lot 100 (£321,600). Several examples are illustrated in C. Gilbert, The Pictorial Dictionary of Marked London Furniture, Leeds, 1996, pp. 283 - 285, figs. 530 - 535. Two 'Jupe' patent tables are illustrated in the Dining-room at Mottisfont Priory in H. Avray Tipping, 'Mottisfont Priory, Hampshire', Country Life, 19 November 1921, p. 656, fig. 9.
A 'Jupe' dining-table, with baluster support and concave-sided
quadripartite platform base and with a single set of leaves was sold anonymously, Bonham's, London 12 February 2002, lot 85 (£130,000 including premium). Another, probably with two sets of leaves was sold anonymously, Gorringes, Bexhill, 4-5 November 2003, lot 1172 (£130,000 including premium). Another with two sets of leaves, was sold anonymously, Bonham's, London, 9 April 2002, lot 124 (£120,000 including premium). A late Victorian oak 'Jupe' table with two sets of leaves was sold anonymously, Sotheby's, London, 22 November 2007, lot 239 (£176,000 including premium). These examples are all of significantly smaller size than the present lot which itself is of unusually large diameter. A table stamped by Johnstone & Jeanes, with two sets of leaves and reeded serpentine legs, extending to 97 in. was sold anonymously, Christie's, London 8 June 2006, lot 100 (£321,600). Several examples are illustrated in C. Gilbert, The Pictorial Dictionary of Marked London Furniture, Leeds, 1996, pp. 283 - 285, figs. 530 - 535. Two 'Jupe' patent tables are illustrated in the Dining-room at Mottisfont Priory in H. Avray Tipping, 'Mottisfont Priory, Hampshire', Country Life, 19 November 1921, p. 656, fig. 9.