CIRCA 1770, POSSIBLY BY THOMAS CHIPPENDALE

The bureau dressing-table corresponds to a design in the first edition of Thomas Chippendale's The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker's Director, published in 1754, pl. XLI and shares many similarities with Chippendale's more restrained furnishings supplied from 1759 for Dumfries House, Ayrshire.
Other closely related tables supplied by Chippendale were commissioned by Ninian Hume (d. 1795) for Paxton House, Berwickshire. A fine bureau dressing-table almost certainly for the principal bedroom apartment of Paxton and probably intended as Ninian Hume's wife Penelope's dressing-table was invoiced on June 7th, 1774 as: 'A neat mahogany Buroe Table with Divisions in the upper drawer and a Slider covered with Green Cloth... 6.12.0.' (C. Gilbert, The Life and Work of Thomas Chippendale, London, 1978, vol. I, p. 274 and vol. II, p. 228, pl. 415); a second more restrained example was supplied for the Buff Bedroom at Paxton (ibid. vol. II, pl. 417). The former was sold anonymously, 50 Years of Collecting: The Decorative Arts of Georgian England, Christie's, London, 14 May 2003, lot 140 (£77,675 including premium). Another closely comparable kneehole desk possibly by Chippendale and again with characteristic constructional features was sold Christie's, London, 13 November 2019, lot 269 (£11,875 including premium).