A PAIR OF GEORGE III CARVED GILTWOOD PIER TABLES IN THE MANNER OF ROBERT ADAM, CIRCA 1770

with later scagliola tops

Property of a Private Collector, Sotheby's London, July 3, 2003, lot 61

Sophisticated carving and stately form. Ready to place. Some of the half roundels on the apron have been reattached. One roundel with a restored break; at least one replaced. Some of the gilding has been chipped and some of the losses are covered with later gold paint. Scattered chips to gesso. Restored break to one scagliola top both with scattered areas of infill and usual abrasions to edges. A small loss to one foot. Usual small chips, losses, and abrasions consistent with use and age.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Stately yet delicate, these pier tables showcase the unique and refined qualities of English Neoclassicism. These pier tables are reminiscent of Robert Adam’s transitional period from 1765 to 1768. Robert Adam is the architect and designer who is most emblematic of the late Georgian period. His style was shaped by the archeological excavations of ancient sites in Italy and Greece, which he was able to tour and study. While generally known for his extensive use of ornamentation and his holistic interiors, his work can be broken up into several developmental periods. His transitional period captured Adam’s taste in a transformative stage as he moved away from his earlier Kentian influenced style, as seen at Moor House and Syon, and towards his lighter, more elegant style of the 1770s.

The legs on the present pair of tables are composed of multiple sections: an Ionic capital, a fluted support, a section of acanthus leaves, and feet with gadrooning, beading, and more acanthi. Similar segmentation and complication of the design for legs was restricted to this brief period of Adam’s career. The paterae lunette aprons are also an interesting design feature on these tables that point to an Adam origin. Similar motifs are seen on the design for a table for the Earl of Coventry (Eileen Harris, The Furniture of Robert Adam, London: 1973, pl.14) as well as a design for a Table for Luton in 1772 in Sir John Soane’s Musem (Vol. 17, No. 19). The sideboard at Osterley Park and a console at Lansdowne House (both illustrated in Harris, The Furniture of Robert Adam, pls. 15, 16) are similar in design. A table at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (58.75.131) for the Earl of Coventry, executed by Mayhew & Ince and designed by Robert Adam, displays similar legs and frieze. It is exhibited in the Croome Court Tapestry Room and was previously sold Sotheby's London, June 25, 1948, lot 149. While the transitional style was only touched upon briefly by Robert Adam in his oeuvre his contemporaries imitated this style for a much longer period of time. Therefore, while clearly inspired by the innovative designs of Adam the pair was most likely created by one of the many gifted craftsmen who imitated Adam's work.