MID-18TH CENTURY, THE APRON LATER

Details

A GEORGE II GILTWOOD PIER TABLE
MID-18TH CENTURY, THE APRON LATER
With later Sicilian jasper top above a pierced guilloche and flowerhead frieze centred by a shell and inverted with foliate scroll ornaments, on serpentine legs with winged masks and floral festoons terminating in dolphin feet, inscribed in paint 'No 2', with 19th century simulated Siena marbled plinth, re-gilt
34½ in. (87.5 cm.) high; 43½ in. (110.5 cm.) wide; 27½ in. (57 cm.) deep

Provenance

Probably bought from Mallett's by
The Hon Mrs. Bowlby, née The Hon. Penelope Portman (1913-1985), and by descent to her son, by whom sold
Andrew Grant Fine Art Auctioneers, Worcester, 16 October 1995.

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium, which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

With its shell cartouche and winged-truss pilasters, the table relates to French patterns of 'Marble Tables' published in B. Langley's City and Country Builder's and Workman's Treasury of Designs, 1740. Its 'Water' elements of Neptune heads and dolphins relate to the ornament of the Victoria & Albert Museum's 1740's pier-set executed for Hinton House, Dorset by the carver Matthias Lock (d. 1765)( J.F. Hayward, 'Furniture designed and carved by Matthias Lock for Hinton House, Somerset', Connoisseur, December 1960, pp. 282-286). A related table, with Langley-style winged pilasters on winged dolphins, was sold Christie's, London, 27 February 1969 (lot 92). In turn, the latter related to four tables, with eagle-capped pilasters terminating in dolphins, which are thought to have been commissioned for Stanwick, Yorkshire by Sir Hugh Smithson, 4th Bart. (d. 1786) (A. Oswald, 'Albury Park, Surrey', Country Life, 1 September 1950, p. 677, fig. 10).

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