A fine George III mahogany and part-painted pembroke table circa 1785

Restorations to painted decoration.

Sold, Sotheby's, London, July 9, 1993, lot 174 (£10,350)

Overall good restored condition the top with warpage to the flaps and to the central panel and with shrinkage to the veneers with subsequent small veneer tears with small areas of inpainting and perishing to the finish; the front hinge to the front flap loose from flap due to warpage; the japanned floral banding restored and with small losses to the paint in places also showing original paint, and with craquelure; small age cracks to the banding; center of the front edge with an age crack with subsequent small loss to the stringing to the edge; the front frieze with small chip to veneer above right top edge of drawer; loss to veneer of banding of bottom right edge; drawer with a later wash to the interior and an age crack to the drawer bottom; the top slightly loose from frame due to lack of screw to the front right corner; left handle to the back frieze loose but present; the back frieze with a small infilled hole next to screw hole for handle top of right leg with an old repaired and inpainted vertical break, old repaired break with inpainting to the lower part of the same leg, overall with old marks, scratches scuffs and bruises 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.

This pembroke table, with flame-veneered panels to the top within a floral- and ribbon-painted border, is of a type associated with the firm of Seddon, Sons & Shackleton.  The firm of Seddon was founded in the mid-18th century by George Seddon (c. 1727-1801) at Aldergate Street in London.  It rapidly grew in size: in 1783 they employed nearly 'three hundred of the most capital hands' in London.  In 1786 the workshops were visited by the German tourist Sophie Van La Roche, who recorded in her journal that Some of the department contains nothing but chairs, sofas, stools of every description, some quite simple, others exquisitely carved and made of all varieties of wood ... while others are occupied by writing tables, cupboards, chests of drawers, charmingly fashioned desks, chests both large and small, work- and toilet-tables of all manner of wood and patterns, from the simplest and cheapest to the most elegant and expensive. During the late 1780s George Seddon's son-in-law, Thomas Shackleton joined the firm and by June 1790 the bill-head was changed to 'Seddon, Sons and Shackleton' to reflect the new partnership. This arrangement was maintained until the retirement of George Seddon I in 1798 after which the business was controlled by his two sons who re-named the company George Seddon & Sons. Thomas Shackleton's departure occurred during the same year when he formed a new partnership with George Oakley called Oakley and Shackleton, who traded from St Paul's Church Yard and Old Bond Street. George Seddon & Sons continued until 1804 when Thomas Seddon died and George Seddon parted from the business following bankruptcy. This enabled the firm to continue trading as a family concern until the 1860s. Despite their stature as one of the leading cabinet makers in the latter part of the 18th century, whose clients included the Empress of Russia, the 5th Duke of Bedford, Lord Howard of Audley End and Lord Mansfield of Kenwood House, few pieces survive which can be associated with these commissions.

One of the few known Seddon commissions is for a large group of furniture supplied to Richard Hall Clarke of Bridwell Park, Devon, invoiced in 1793, that included a pair of painted satinwood card tables and pembroke table, sold in the same sale as the present table,  Sotheby's, London, July 9, 1993, lots 172-173.

For further discussion of painted furniture made by the firm, see C. Gilbert, 'Seddon, Sons & Shackleton', The Journal of the Furniture History Society, 1997, vol. XXXIII, pp. 1-29.