THE STOWE TABLES A HIGHLY IMPORTANT PAIR OF GILT METAL MOUNTED MARQUETRY INLAID SATINWOOD CARD TABLES ATTRIBUTED TO JOHN COBB circa 1775

the folding serpentine tops veneered in richly figured satinwood with rosewood cross banding, inlaid in stained and colored engraved woods at the front center with a scrolled foliate cartouche issuing at each side foliate scrolls and an arched band entwined with sprays of leaves and flowers with scrolled foliate terminals joined at the back with a further foliate clasp, and inlaid with two curved swags of husks, inlaid with cross cut rosewood, meeting at the center and falling from each corner from a foliate clasp, the front corners inlaid with stylized flower heads, opening on a concertina frame to a baize lined playing surface, the shaped frieze similarly cross banded with rosewood and inlaid at the font with swags of ribbon tied husks, the folding sides and back similarly shaped and veneered with panels of figured satinwood within rosewood cross banding, the apron continuing to cabriole legs banded with rosewood and mounted with pierced foliate gilt metal sabots, the interior within the frame with a slide fitted with an open counter box.

Probably commissioned by George Greville, Ist Marquess of Buckingham (1755-1813), Stowe, Buckinghamshire

Thence by descent

Messrs. Jackson Stops, F. S. I., Northampton Auction Sale, 'Stowe - The Ducal Estate and Contents of the Mansion', by direction of the Right Honorablr the Baroness Kinloss, C. I., The Rev. Honourable L. C. F. T. Morgan-Grenville, Master of Kinloss, and the Trustees of the will of the Late Duke of Buckingham and Chandos, G.C.S.I, lot 1844, in The Green Drawing Room, apparently unsold

Lawrence Fine Art Auctioneers, Crewkerne, Somerset, May 9, 1999, lot 411, The Property of the Descendants of the 3^rd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos

Overall good restored condition, each with later baize-lined surfaces, the first with a small loss to veneer of left side frieze, the other with small loss to veneer of back left leg and with chalked inscription Loard Peter to underside of wooden slide support, each with some veneer patches, overall with some old marks, scratches and scuffs consistent with age and use.
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.

Conceived in the French taste, their richly figured figure surfaces superbly inlaid with various colored and engraved woods, these important tables can be attributed to the workshop of John Cobb (c. 1715-1780). The son-in-law of the London cabinetmaker Giles Grendey, he entered into partnership with the Royal cabinetmaker William Vile in 1751, which continued until Vile's retirement in 1764. He was renowned especially for marquetry furniture, such as the present tables, Hester Thrale, noting in her Journal in 1775, that the inlaid floors at Sceaux 'is finished like the most highly prized Cabinet which Mr Cobb can produce to captivate the Eyes of his Customers'.    

The present tables are related both in their profile and marquetry to a significant group of commodes, side tables and card tables either documented or firmly attributed to his workshop. Of this group, another pair of card tables are discussed by Colin Streeter in an article included in the Journal of the Furniture History Society, 1974, 'Marquetry Table's from Cobbs Workshop', together with various tables related both in style and inlay. Curiously, however, the marquetry foliate scrolled cartouches adorning the tops are of a design which is recorded on a group of serpentine-form commodes veneered in yew wood which are attributed to Cobb's rivals Mayhew and Ince. This is possibly accounted for by the independance of the marquetry cutters at this period who were known to have sold their services to several cabinet workshops.

Described as 'the largest and most completely realized private neo-classical building in the world', Stowe House in Buckinghamshire has its origins in a mansion first built in 1677 by Sir Richard Temple who was succeeded by his son, also John who was created Viscount Cobham in 1718, who was responsible for the rebuilding of the House, creating the two fronts, teh Galleries and the end pavilions. The present tables were almost certainly commissioned by George Grenville, Marquess of Buckingham (1755-1813), who married in 1775 Lady Mary Nugent.

See:
Michael Bevington, Stowe House, Stowe, 2002
Nicholas Goodison and Robin Kern, Hotspur - Eighty Years of Antiques Dealing, London, 1984, pp. 224, 225