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Lot Essay
Percival G. Griffiths formed a remarkable assemblage of mid-Georgian furniture in the early part of the 20th century under the advice of the great furniture historian R.W. Symonds. Griffiths met the young Symonds in 1910 and soon thereafter his fame as a collector was established. The many articles and books that Symonds published throught the next few decades illustrated pieces from the Griffiths collection.
Mr. Vander Poel was fully aware of the significance of the Griffiths provenance when he purchased this tripod table. He notes in his collection catalogue: 'This mahogany gallery table formerly in the collection of Percival Griffiths, Esq. (St. Albans) was one of the celebrated "fakes" purchased by Percy Griffiths (see his catalogue - Cescinsky - and my own for details): as a "fake", it was so beautiful I couldn't resist it, at the price. Purchased from Jack Treleaven, proprietor of Needham's Inc., New York City, circa 1954.' While he refers to a Griffiths catalogue, the table does not appear in the celebrated Christie's sale of 19 May 1939.
Mr. Vander Poel was fully aware of the significance of the Griffiths provenance when he purchased this tripod table. He notes in his collection catalogue: 'This mahogany gallery table formerly in the collection of Percival Griffiths, Esq. (St. Albans) was one of the celebrated "fakes" purchased by Percy Griffiths (see his catalogue - Cescinsky - and my own for details): as a "fake", it was so beautiful I couldn't resist it, at the price. Purchased from Jack Treleaven, proprietor of Needham's Inc., New York City, circa 1954.' While he refers to a Griffiths catalogue, the table does not appear in the celebrated Christie's sale of 19 May 1939.