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Defining an Era: The Collection of the Late Francis Egerton and Peter Maitland

OVERVIEW

A superlative collection showcasing the best in 18th-century craftsmanship formed by two people whose taste has defined many of the finest furniture collections of our time.

This collection of English furniture which - in its exceptional quality and aesthetic appeal - defines the connoisseurship and unfailing eye of two of the greatest protagonists ever to have worked in the furniture business: Francis Egerton and Peter Maitland.

As Chairman of Mallett from 1955 to 1983, Francis Egerton was the defining force behind the now widely celebrated "Mallett style” - a style that has informed many of the greatest collections of our time. His insistence on the highest quality was legendary, and that, combined with his own unerring sense of style, made for a compelling combination. Upon his death, Egerton's business mantle passed to his friend and colleague Peter Maitland who, possessed with a similarly keen aesthetic sense, continued faultlessly to honour the traditions and standards of his predecessor. In addition to the leading role at Mallett, Maitland also inherited from Egerton something of even greater importance: he became custodian of Egerton's private collection of furniture and artefacts - a superlative collection in which the essence of Egerton's celebrated aesthetic is fully captured. It is this collection - rich in shining examples of 18th-century craftsmanship - that, following the death of Maitland in October last year, is now offered for sale.