This table can be associated with a small group of furniture attributed to the celebrated cabinet-maker John Channon, who was practising from 1737 at 109, St. Martin's Lane, London. There has been much speculation as to whether the German cabinet-maker Abraham Roentgen collaborated with Channon when he was working in London between 1733 and 1738. Both of them specialized in the use of inlaid engraved brass and mother-of-pearl of a very high quality. Cf. Sotheby's London, 18 November 1983, lot 46, and R. W. Symonds, 'Furniture in the Soane Museum', Country Life, pp...., fig. 8.

The cushion-mounted frieze, plain cabriole legs and pad feet of this table show marked similarities to those on a table in the Victoria & Albert Museum (W. 44-1947) which forms part of Channon's accepted oeuvre. Furthermore, Channon is noted for his use of exotic hardwoods such as Brazilian rosewood and an extremely hard mahogany. These he employed not only as surface woods, but also for drawer-linings (cf. the drawer linings of the above lot {which? - this or previous???). Finally, Roentgen was celebrated for his 'mechanical features', and the lock and hinges on this table, the former possibly of Continental manufacture, are sophisticated for a table of this date.
The fascinating Channon/Roentgen relationship was first discussed in a series of three articles in The Victoria and Albert Museum Bulletin: John Hayward, 'English Brass-inlaid Furniture', vol. I, no. 1, January 1965; 'The Channon Family of Exeter and London, Chair and Cabinet makers', vol. II, no. 2, April 1966; and Peter Thornton & Desmond Fitz-Gerald, 'Abraham Roentgen, Englische Kabinettmacher', vol. II, no. 4, October 1966