A pair of white-painted pine marble top pier tables in the manner of William Kent

Overall good condition; the later marble tops with minor nicks and wear to edges; some minor chips and losses to extremities of carving with some minor replacements; some pieces of the feet with replacements; possibly originally gilded. The first with old repaired break to central swag at joins with the scrolls flanking the shell; central shell with small chip and with a small replaced section of carving; central swags with a replaced leaf tip; the shell and swags with laminated construction; the top moldings to the frieze with some fillets at joins especially at the corners; front right leg with small replaced tip to scrolled acanthus carving; some chips and losses to extremities of legs; front feet each with a large replaced section approximately 1 inch by 3 inches; feet with some fillets in between joints; side carved swags with some small chips and replaced tips; back left foot with large loss to back edge approximately 1 inch by 3 inches. The second table with old repaired breaks to the ends of the central swag over the shell at joins with C-scrolls; foliate carved moldings to the top with some fillets at joins especially at corners; left end of the swag with small replaced end section at join with the leg; shell with some minor chips; left leg with replaced section to scrolled leaf tip of acanthus carving; front left foot with replaced corner approximately 1 inch by 2 inches; back rail with later metal L bracket at join with top of leg; side swags each with two replaced leaf tips; left side swags with horizontal cracks.
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.

The present pair of tables shares a number of affinities to the strong Palladian designs of William Kent, especially to tables which he most probably designed for Houghton Hall circa 1730 including a table centered by a shell flanked by floral garlands with similar acanthus-carved S-scrolled legs which have scaled sides (illustrated R. Edwards and P. Macquoid, The Dictionary of English Furniture, rev. ed., Woodbridge, 1983, p. 285, fig. 35) and another two tables (one with sphinx and one centered by a putto) with similar legs, the lower parts being carved with guilloche and the upper part being carved with large acanthus leaves (ibid. p. 283, figs. 28 and 30).  Another table with similar legs and proportions is in the Royal Collection at Hampton Court Palace (ibid. p. 282, fig. 26).

The present tables are similar to a design published by William Jones in The Gentleman or Builder’s Companion, in 1739, plate 29.  Like the tables designed by Kent at Houghton, Jones’s design (illustrated) incorporates a centralized shell flanked by foliate garlands to the frieze as well as canted rectangular S-scrolled legs carved with acanthus leaves to the tops and guilloche or moneyed carving to the lower part, the sides being carved with scales.

A similar pair of giltwood tables sold at Christie’s, New York, October 11, 2017, lot 40 ($361,000), another similar giltwood table most probably executed by Thomas Vardy sold at Sotheby’s, London, June 5, 2007 (£132,000).