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Lot Essay
The table's frieze, carved with Grecian palm flowers and acanthus clasps, correspond to the designs and furniture produced by Robert Adam in the 1770s and early 1780s. A suite of seat-furniture supplied by Adam for Sir Abraham Hume at No. 17, Hill Street, London features similarly embellished seatrails and takes after a drawing dated 1780 in Sir John Soane's Museum, London (see E. Harris, The Furniture of Robert Adam, 1963, pl.122-124). A pair of pier-tables with husk-entwined reeded legs executed by carver Joseph Perfetti of St. Marybone to Adam's design of 1771 was supplied for Saltram House, Devon (op.cit., p.69, pl.21 and 22).
It is interesting to note the number of pieces of Dublin-made furniture which exhibit similar designs. A related table frame supplied for the Adam-designed interiors at Headfort House, County Meath is illustrated in C. Hussey, 'Headfort, Co. Meath, The Seat of the Marquess of Headfort', Country Life, 21 March 1936, part I, p.301, fig.2. Another with scagliola top was sold Christie's London, 28 June 1984, lot 125. The delicacy of the marquetry on this table top relates to the work of London makers Mayhew and Ince, and their former apprentice and follower, William Moore of Dublin. A related table attributed to Moore with marquetry top and similar painted frame was sold anonymously, Sotheby's London, 5 July 1996, lot 80 (18,100). Another marquetry commode with similar berried vine borders attributed to this maker and with Irish provenance at Kilree House, County Kilkenny was sold Christie's London, 11 November 1999, lot 165. This commode further relates to an example at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
It is interesting to note the number of pieces of Dublin-made furniture which exhibit similar designs. A related table frame supplied for the Adam-designed interiors at Headfort House, County Meath is illustrated in C. Hussey, 'Headfort, Co. Meath, The Seat of the Marquess of Headfort', Country Life, 21 March 1936, part I, p.301, fig.2. Another with scagliola top was sold Christie's London, 28 June 1984, lot 125. The delicacy of the marquetry on this table top relates to the work of London makers Mayhew and Ince, and their former apprentice and follower, William Moore of Dublin. A related table attributed to Moore with marquetry top and similar painted frame was sold anonymously, Sotheby's London, 5 July 1996, lot 80 (18,100). Another marquetry commode with similar berried vine borders attributed to this maker and with Irish provenance at Kilree House, County Kilkenny was sold Christie's London, 11 November 1999, lot 165. This commode further relates to an example at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.