William Trotter, who came from a line of cabinetmakers, came into the Edinburgh family business of Young & Trotter in 1805 and worked at various addresses until his death in 1833. A description of Trotter's premises, published by Thomas Froghall Dibdin in Tour in the North Counties of England and in Scotland (1838) reads: "It is of great length and intercepted by rectangular vistas filled with mahogany and rosewood objects of temptation, in all their types and in all forms- from that of Henry VIII to the modern form- carry away your heart and your purse together" (F. Bamford, 'A Dictionary of Edinburgh Furniture Makers 1660-1840', F.H.S.J., 1983, pp. 115-116). A nearly identical pair of jardinieres in rosewood probably supplied by Trotter for the Marquess of Tweeddale at Yester House, East Lothian is illustrated in F. Bamford, op. cit., pl. 73. Another pair of this model attributed to Trotter was sold in these Rooms, 30 January 1993, lot 302.
The design for these jardinieres is based on one included in George Smith's The Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer's Guide, 1826 (reproduced in E. Joy, ed., Pictorial Dictionary of British 19th Century Furniture Design, 1977, p. 549). This publication featured patterns in the French 17th and 18th century manner alongside some 'antique' and 'gothic' patterns. These jardinieres derive from antique 'altar' tripods supporting baskets. Their rims are embellished with ribbon-guilloche framing embossed medallions in the French manner.