- 382
A William IV ebony-inlaid burr elm circular center table circa 1830
Estimate
30,000 - 50,000 USD
Log in to view results
bidding is closed
Description
- ebony, elm
- height 28 1/4 in.; diameter 4 ft. 6 in.
- 71.7 cm; 137.2 cm
Provenance
John Murray, Esq. Polmaise Castle, Stirling, Scotland and thence by descent
Condition
Overall good condition. With minor scratches, nicks bruises and wear.
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.
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.
Catalogue Note
This magnificent center table incorporates all the elements one would expect to find in a piece in the manner of George Bullock (n. 1777/8-d.1818). Bullock specialized in Neoclassical style furniture and favored the use of highly figured indigenous woods. The dramatic contrast of dark inlay on a lighter ground is typical of his idiosyncratic work. He was instrumental in the development and promotion of the medieval or Gothic style which romanticized Jacobean and Elizabethan inspired furniture.
The inlay of this table's finely figured top is highly similar to that of a maple and ebony cabinet by Bullock in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. The motifs used in his inlay, with its combination of anthemia, bellflower and heartsease, is characteristic of Bullock's designs, recorded in "The Wilkinson Tracings". Furthermore, the table's "altar-tripod" plinth base corresponds to a center table from Endsleigh, Devon, the antiquarian "cottage ornee" of the 6th Duke of Bedford (d.1839) for whom it is thought George Bullock supplied similar tables.
Much of what is known of the brilliant Regency cabinet-maker and sculptor, George Bullock, comes from bills of sale, house inventories and more importantly, a group of designs mentioned above known as The Wilkinson Tracings. The tracings are assembled in the form of a scrap book with additional loose inserts and inscribed on the first page "Tracings by Thomas Wilkinson from designs of the late Mr. George Bullock, 1820" and are held by the City Museum and Art Gallery, Birmingham, England.
The inlay of this table's finely figured top is highly similar to that of a maple and ebony cabinet by Bullock in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. The motifs used in his inlay, with its combination of anthemia, bellflower and heartsease, is characteristic of Bullock's designs, recorded in "The Wilkinson Tracings". Furthermore, the table's "altar-tripod" plinth base corresponds to a center table from Endsleigh, Devon, the antiquarian "cottage ornee" of the 6th Duke of Bedford (d.1839) for whom it is thought George Bullock supplied similar tables.
Much of what is known of the brilliant Regency cabinet-maker and sculptor, George Bullock, comes from bills of sale, house inventories and more importantly, a group of designs mentioned above known as The Wilkinson Tracings. The tracings are assembled in the form of a scrap book with additional loose inserts and inscribed on the first page "Tracings by Thomas Wilkinson from designs of the late Mr. George Bullock, 1820" and are held by the City Museum and Art Gallery, Birmingham, England.