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Lot Essay
THE PROVENANCE
It is not clear when this pair of tables entered the collection at Faringdon, as early photographs and a Country Life article in 1966 do not illustrate them, suggesting they were either in another part of the house or had yet to enter the collection. The collection at Faringdon was the vision of Gerald Tyrwhitt-Wilson, 14th Lord Berners (1883-1950), the composer, painter, diplomat and writer. His eccentric cohabitation with Robert “Mad Boy” Heber-Percy during the 1930s is well documented, and the house played host to Stravinsky, Salvador Dali and Gertrude Stein along with the Bright Young Things of the era. The majority of the contents of Faringdon were sold; Christie’s, London, 12 April 2018. For a further history of the house, Lord Berners and his life see S. Zinovieff, The Mad Boy, Lord Berners, My Grandmother and Me, London, 2014.
THE DESIGN
This pair of 'Kentian' console tables is heavily influenced by the furniture designed by William Kent for Lord Burlington at Chiswick House, circa 1730, particularly resonant in the female masks, S-scroll supports and hanging-garlands. Several of these tables are illustrated in F. Lenygon, Furniture in England from 1660-1760, London, 1914, figs. 197 and 198, and it is probable that these were commissioned by Lord Berners or a member of his family. Another side table, attributed to Kent was supplied to Viscount Townshend at Raynham Hall, Norfolk and also bears huge similarities to the present lot (see M. Jourdain, The Work of William Kent, London, 1948, p. 178, fig 145. Interestingly, Lord Berners' uncle, Captain James Foster, is also listed as a subscriber to the volume, suggesting Lord Berners was aware of the firm's work.
It is not clear when this pair of tables entered the collection at Faringdon, as early photographs and a Country Life article in 1966 do not illustrate them, suggesting they were either in another part of the house or had yet to enter the collection. The collection at Faringdon was the vision of Gerald Tyrwhitt-Wilson, 14th Lord Berners (1883-1950), the composer, painter, diplomat and writer. His eccentric cohabitation with Robert “Mad Boy” Heber-Percy during the 1930s is well documented, and the house played host to Stravinsky, Salvador Dali and Gertrude Stein along with the Bright Young Things of the era. The majority of the contents of Faringdon were sold; Christie’s, London, 12 April 2018. For a further history of the house, Lord Berners and his life see S. Zinovieff, The Mad Boy, Lord Berners, My Grandmother and Me, London, 2014.
THE DESIGN
This pair of 'Kentian' console tables is heavily influenced by the furniture designed by William Kent for Lord Burlington at Chiswick House, circa 1730, particularly resonant in the female masks, S-scroll supports and hanging-garlands. Several of these tables are illustrated in F. Lenygon, Furniture in England from 1660-1760, London, 1914, figs. 197 and 198, and it is probable that these were commissioned by Lord Berners or a member of his family. Another side table, attributed to Kent was supplied to Viscount Townshend at Raynham Hall, Norfolk and also bears huge similarities to the present lot (see M. Jourdain, The Work of William Kent, London, 1948, p. 178, fig 145. Interestingly, Lord Berners' uncle, Captain James Foster, is also listed as a subscriber to the volume, suggesting Lord Berners was aware of the firm's work.