A fine George IV ormolu-mounted amboyna occasional table in the manner of Morel and Seddon circa 1825

Very good condition; beautifully made and of very high quality; nice color and surface to the amboyna; the mounts are beautifully molded and chased; the mounts are clean; some minor wear to the feet.
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 table with its rich amboyna veneers and very well-executed ormolu mounts bears striking similarity to the work of Morel and Seddon, particularly to their work for George IV at Windsor Castle in the late 1820s. (see Hugh Roberts, For the King’s Pleasure, London, 2001) For example, the palmette mounts to the base of the trestle supports are nearly identical to those found on an elm and giltwood wash stand (account nos. 887 and 927) (ibid, p. 317, fig. 397) made for a suite of bedrooms at Windsor (room nos. 227-231).  The motif of stylized laurel leaves which flank a central roundel (found on the stretcher of the present table) can be found on many pieces at Windsor, including on an ormolu-mounted ebony door (account no. 222) (ibid, p. 135, fig. 157) and on a pietre-dure mounted cabinet (account no. 294) (ibid,p. 162, fig. 189).  The lion heads and flower-head roundels of the present table can also be found throughout the furniture at Windsor.

Morel and Seddon’s partnership was primarily formed to carry out the Windsor commission, Nicholas Morel having been chosen as the furniture maker in charge of re-furnishing the Castle. It appears that he was in charge of the major artistic decisions, whereas George Seddon III’s extensive workshops provided experienced draughtsmen, managers, and skilled workmen, Seddon himself also running the business side of the project. As with Morel and his then-partner Robert Hughes’s extensive commission for the re-furnishing of Northumberland House for the Duke of Northumberland in the early 1820’s, the furniture designed for George IV displays the extensive use of not only richly figured rosewood veneers, but also the lighter colored woods such as satinwood, birch and amboyna, both in the solid and as decorative veneers.