A George III mahogany, satinwood and fruitwood marquetry and giltwood D-shaped pier table in the manner of John Linnell circa 1775

Christie's London, November 3, 2011, lot 96

Overall good restored condition; the gilding refreshed with some small chips and losses to gilding mainly to top of frieze about the central front right colulmn leg; some minor nicks and wear to gilding.
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 highly architectonic table relates to designs by the preeminent 18^th century architect Robert Adam (d.1792). The form is very similar to a side table designed by Adam and dated March 18, 1775 for Robert Child at Osterley Park, Middlesex. (Eileen Harris, The Furniture of Robert Adam, London, 1963, p. 70 and fig. 26).  Adam appears to use the lambrequin motif in a number of his designs, including on the apron of a bench illustrated in an elevation drawing of the small closet at the top of one of the towers at Syon House (Sir John Soane’s Msuem, Adam drawing, vol. 27:27) (Eileen Harris, The Genius of Robert Adam, New Haven and London, 2001, p. 83, fig. 123)  The cabinet-makers William and John Linnell executed many of Adam’s designs for Osterley and there are Linnell workshop drawings from 1777 showing designs for window cornices one inscribed ‘Lady Riddle’ the other ‘Lord Donegal’ which depict a traditional pattern of raffle leaves which are similar to those on the frieze of the this table (H.Hayward and P.Kirkham, William and John Linnell, London, 1980, vol. II, p.77, fig.155).  Tables such as the Osterley example frequently supported costly marble or scagliola 'slab' tops, but they also featured marquetry tops such as those executed by Mayhew and Ince.  Interestingly, Mayhew and Ince also made use of the lambrequin motif as seen on a pair of pier tables at Broadlands, see Hugh Roberts, 'The Ince and Mayhew Connection - Furniture at Broadlands - I,' Country Life, January 29, 1981, p. 289, fig. 1 and fig. 8 (detail of lambrequin).

This table is almost certainly the  pair to one that was formerly in the collection of the collectors Basil and the Hon. Mrs Nellie Ionides, either at their London home in Berkeley Square or at Buxted Park, Sussex. The Ionides table was sold Sotheby's, London, The Property of The Late The Hon. Mrs. Nellie Ionides, part 1, May 31, 1963, lot 180. (fig. 1) and was almost certainly acquired at this sale by Ralph Dutton, 8th Baron Sherborne (d.1985) for Hinton Ampner House, Alresford, Hampshire where it was photographed in the drawing-room in 1965.