A George II mahogany pie-crust tripod table circa 1755

the pie-crust shaped top with bird cage action support on a turned and fluted stem with acanthus carved knop on foliate carved downswept legs with claw and ball feet

Percival D. Griffiths Esq., F.S.A.;
Geoffrey Blackwell Esq., O.B.E. by 1936 and thence by descent until sold Christie's, London, 14th June 2001, lot 35, (£120,000).

R. W. Symonds, English Furniture from Charles II to George II, 1929, p.233, fig. 192;
R. W. Symonds, ‘Sandridgebury: The Country Residence of Percival D. Griffiths’, Antiques, March 1931, p. 193;
R. W. Symonds, ‘Furniture in the Collection of Mr. Geoffrey Blackwell’, Apollo, vol.XXIII, 1936, p. 198, fig XII;
E. Lennox-Boyd (ed.), Masterpieces of English Furniture: The Gerstenfeld Collection, p. 24, fig. 12.

The top displaying wonderful colour and patina. Marks and scratches to the top and tripod consistent with age and use. The original catch and stretchers have been repositioned slightly. Pedestal with nice surface and richly carved. Missing pin.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Under the wise counsel of R. W. Symonds, Percival D. Griffiths, F. S. A. amassed arguably the greatest collection of English Furniture formed in the 20^th century, a collection which is unlikely to bettered any time soon. Indeed, the present magnificent pie-crust tripod table is illustrated in R. W. Symonds seminal work English Furniture from Charles II to George II, 1929, which was written around Griffiths’ collection.

In the foreword to the book (op. cit. p.vii), Griffiths extols the virtues of good collecting stating ‘the real collector is one who buys a piece, not for its utilitarian purpose but because it has intrinsic merit’. The present lot is a testament to this philosophy, made with top quality mahogany, accentuated by the finest carved acanthus elements and elegantly proportioned legs.

Of the next generation of collectors, Geoffrey Blackwell O.B.E. was one of Symonds’ most important collectors. He built up a unique collection combining modern British pictures and fine Georgian furniture, adorning the interior of his Berkhamsted home.  Symonds also advised several other prominent collectors such as J. S. Sykes, James Thursby-Pelham, E. B. Moller and Frederick Poke, but Blackwell was one of the most enthusiastic. Family legend has it, that one of his sons was on a fox hunt with the Whaddon when Griffiths was killed. Without hesitation, he immediately informed his father, who leapt from his bath to contact Symonds and ascertain which pieces would be available, a zeal that Griffiths would no doubt have admired.