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Lot Essay
The tables are designed in the Graeco-Roman ‘antique’ fashion popularised by the architect-designer, Charles Heathcote Tatham in his Etchings, Representing The Best Examples Of Ancient Ornamental Architecture; Drawn From The Originals In Rome, And Other Parts Of Italy, During The Years 1794, 1795, and 1796 (1799), which includes a related seat with scrolled foliate-carved supports and paw feet (pl. 79). Similar scroll supports were later featured in designs by Thomas Hope (Household Furniture and Interior Decoration, 1807, pl. 12) and George Smith (Collection of Designs for Household Furniture, 1808, pl. 34).
The tables are attributed to Messrs. Marsh & Tatham, cabinet-makers of 13 and 14 Mount Street, Mayfair, celebrated as 'Upholders’ to George, Prince of Wales (later George IV) who supplied furniture for Carlton House and Brighton Pavilion, and worked closely with the Prince’s architect, Henry Holland, at Southill, Bedfordshire. Thomas Tatham founded the firm in 1798 but it was his elder brother,
C.H. Tatham who provided inspiration for furniture made by the firm through his neo-classical drawings, was also instrumental in gaining the firm important commissions. The present console tables are virtually identical to a pair at Castle Howard, Yorkshire. Bills in the Castle Howard archive show that C.H. Tatham was responsible for Marsh & Tatham’s employment there on at least two separate occasions, from September 1801 to July 1802 for work on the Gallery and Museum, and from 1811 to 1812 for work on the North Gallery and Octagon (T. Buckrell Pos, ‘Tatham and Italy: Influences on English Neo-classical design’, Furniture History, 2002, vol. 38, p. 67).
Closely related carved foliate scroll trusses are seen on an octagonal library-table almost certainly supplied by Marsh & Tatham to William Lee Antonie (d. 1815) for Colworth House, Bedfordshire; an extensive number of bills raised by the firm for Colworth House survive but as they are not itemised individual pieces of furniture cannot be identified (C. Musgrave, Regency Furniture 1800 to 1830, London, 1961, pl. 72).
The gilt metal mounts, possibly inspired by designs for ornament in the Greek style taken from Ackermann’s Selection of Ornaments (1817-1819), may have been provided by Alexis Decaix (d. 1811) of Old Bond Street, the French bronzier and modeller who served as the Prince’s bronze-founder, and whose work was praised by Hope. Very similar wreath mounts are found on a bookcase, circa 1810, bearing a Robert Herring & Son label, and a pair of side cabinets described as, 'in the manner of Marsh & Tatham’, sold Sotheby’s, London, 26 November 2003, lot 51 (C. Gilbert, Pictorial Dictionary of Marked London Furniture 1700-1840, London, 1996, fig. 491).
HAREWOOD HOUSE
The present tables were possibly acquired by Edward Lascelles, 1st Earl of Harewood (d.1820) who, strongly influenced by Regency fashion, refurbished the Entrance Hall at Harewood House, Yorkshire in the 'Egyptian style'. The furniture in the Hall comprised a set of five klismos chairs 'upholstered with curving scimitar legs back and front, inlaid probably with brass', a table with lion monopodium pedestal and scagliola top, a pair of brass-inlaid writing-tables with paw feet and a pair of stools ornamented with lions' heads (M. Mauchline, Harewood House, London, 1974, p. 121). ). In the post-Chippendale period at Harewood there is little information regarding furniture supplied by other cabinet-makers to the 1st Earl, but through his personal accounts it is known that he was commissioning works from Decaix (WYAS WYL250/3/Acs/190).
The tables are attributed to Messrs. Marsh & Tatham, cabinet-makers of 13 and 14 Mount Street, Mayfair, celebrated as 'Upholders’ to George, Prince of Wales (later George IV) who supplied furniture for Carlton House and Brighton Pavilion, and worked closely with the Prince’s architect, Henry Holland, at Southill, Bedfordshire. Thomas Tatham founded the firm in 1798 but it was his elder brother,
C.H. Tatham who provided inspiration for furniture made by the firm through his neo-classical drawings, was also instrumental in gaining the firm important commissions. The present console tables are virtually identical to a pair at Castle Howard, Yorkshire. Bills in the Castle Howard archive show that C.H. Tatham was responsible for Marsh & Tatham’s employment there on at least two separate occasions, from September 1801 to July 1802 for work on the Gallery and Museum, and from 1811 to 1812 for work on the North Gallery and Octagon (T. Buckrell Pos, ‘Tatham and Italy: Influences on English Neo-classical design’, Furniture History, 2002, vol. 38, p. 67).
Closely related carved foliate scroll trusses are seen on an octagonal library-table almost certainly supplied by Marsh & Tatham to William Lee Antonie (d. 1815) for Colworth House, Bedfordshire; an extensive number of bills raised by the firm for Colworth House survive but as they are not itemised individual pieces of furniture cannot be identified (C. Musgrave, Regency Furniture 1800 to 1830, London, 1961, pl. 72).
The gilt metal mounts, possibly inspired by designs for ornament in the Greek style taken from Ackermann’s Selection of Ornaments (1817-1819), may have been provided by Alexis Decaix (d. 1811) of Old Bond Street, the French bronzier and modeller who served as the Prince’s bronze-founder, and whose work was praised by Hope. Very similar wreath mounts are found on a bookcase, circa 1810, bearing a Robert Herring & Son label, and a pair of side cabinets described as, 'in the manner of Marsh & Tatham’, sold Sotheby’s, London, 26 November 2003, lot 51 (C. Gilbert, Pictorial Dictionary of Marked London Furniture 1700-1840, London, 1996, fig. 491).
HAREWOOD HOUSE
The present tables were possibly acquired by Edward Lascelles, 1st Earl of Harewood (d.1820) who, strongly influenced by Regency fashion, refurbished the Entrance Hall at Harewood House, Yorkshire in the 'Egyptian style'. The furniture in the Hall comprised a set of five klismos chairs 'upholstered with curving scimitar legs back and front, inlaid probably with brass', a table with lion monopodium pedestal and scagliola top, a pair of brass-inlaid writing-tables with paw feet and a pair of stools ornamented with lions' heads (M. Mauchline, Harewood House, London, 1974, p. 121). ). In the post-Chippendale period at Harewood there is little information regarding furniture supplied by other cabinet-makers to the 1st Earl, but through his personal accounts it is known that he was commissioning works from Decaix (WYAS WYL250/3/Acs/190).