POSSIBLY BY THOMAS CHIPPENDALE, CIRCA 1765

A library-table of this form, with revolving altar-drum on commode-pedestal, has been identified with Thomas Chippendale's furnishing of either the library at Melbourne House, Piccadilly or Brocket Hall, Hertfordshire in the early 1770s, which was sold anonymously, Christie's, London, 9 July 1998, lot 80. While it is impossible to attribute this table to Chippendale without documentary evidence, it has features that appear on Chippendale's work: the pattern of quarter-veneering on the reading ledge, the diagonal veneers on the borders of the paneled base, and the cut corners of the base panels. Furthermore, it is of a high quality and finely constructed. A nearly identical example with different handles but a similar use of contrasting timbers and placement of letters on the drawers, which was previously part of the celebrated collection of Charles de Beistegui at Château de Groussay and depicted in the interior watercolors by Alexandre Serebriakoff between 1942-44, was sold from the Christopher Hodsoll Collection, Sotheby's, London, 29 October 2002, lot 191 (£38,240, including buyer's premium). A further example with octagonal base was sold by the Earls of Devon, Powderderham Castle Devonshire , Sotheby's, London, 29 September 2009, lot 45 (£37,250, including buyer's premium).