A GEORGE IV MAHOGANY LIBRARY TABLE OR DESK

Details

A GEORGE IV MAHOGANY LIBRARY TABLE OR DESK
The green leather-lined rectangular top with two ratcheted sections to one half, above two frieze drawers and a kneehole flanked by five further drawers to the front and reverse, on a plinth base, six locks stamped 'J BRAMAH PATENT' below a small crown, with printed paper label 'Property of DERMOT & YU YU WILLIAMSON', restorations, the top relaid
31 in. (79 cm.) high; 57 in. (146 cm.) wide; 36 in. (92 cm.) deep

Provenance

Possibly Professor James David Forbes and by descent to his son Professor George Forbes (1849-1936), The Shed, Pitlochry, Perthshire and by descent to his niece
Dame Katherine Trefusis Forbes, wife of Sir Robert Watson Watt and by descent to her great-nephew
Dermot Fergus Williamson, Esq. and by descent.

Lot Essay

The table with rising desks is combined with a pedestal case, whose hinged locking pilaster is discussed by J. Loudon under 'A pedestal case, for holding papers and other articles' in his section devoted to 'Grecian and Modern Furniture for the Library' in The Encyclopaedia of Cottage, Farmhouse and Villa Architecture and Furniture, 1833 (no. 2094). The type is also know as a 'Wellington' chest.
The Piccadilly firm of Joseph Bramah adopted the Patent stamp with a crown between 1800 and 1860.
Professor George Forbes (1849-1936) was an eminent Scottish scientist, many of whose papers are now at Edinburgh University. He was a special correspondent for The Times with the Russian Army during the Russo-Turkish war of 1877-8.

More from Fine English Furniture

View All