A George II giltwood console table circa 1750, after designs by Matthias Lock

the later white marble banded red breccia top above an egg and dart moulding, pierced carved apron with C-scrolls, flowers and foliage, on cabriole legs and inward scrolled feet

Pelham Galleries, London

Overall in good conserved condition, regilt, carving to one knee has been re-glued, minor losses to carving and gilding. The later top with minor old marks and chips commensurate with age and use.
"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."

The present table bears striking similarities to the designs and work of the carver and designer Matthias Lock (b. c. 1710-d. 1765), namely to two pen and ink drawings for pier tables and mirrors, now in the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum – see fig. 1 – acquired by the museum in 1862 and 1863 from his grandson George Lock. This drawing shows a table with the same type of leg profile with carved flower festoons embracing the knee, as well as identical inscrolled feet and similar carved pierced garlands to front apron.

During the 1740’s Lock embarked on a new stage of his career issuing a series of engraved plates illustrating carvers' ornament in the French taste, the first of these issued in 1740 being A New Drawing Book of Ornaments, Shields, Compartments, Masks &c., this being followed in 1744 by Six Sconces and in 1746 by Six Tables.  A number of these were re-issued in the 1760s, and in 1752 he published a number of designs in collaboration with H. Copland. One table design from his Six Tables, 1746, also shows an identical design, although over-elaborated, to the present table.

Matthias Lock is recorded as one of a number of joiners and carvers in London bearing the same name and probably members of the same family which appears to span three or more generations. After being apprenticed to his father, also Matthias, and to Richard Goldsaddle, he appears to have become a journeyman in his own right in 1731. Other than his recorded marriage to a Mary Lee in 1734, no other documents appear to survive regarding his career until 1744 when his name appears in Thomas Johnson's The Life of the Author. Johnson (b. c. 1714-c. 1778) was an eminent carver, gilder and designer describes him as 'the famous Matthias Lock, the most excellent carver, and reputed to be the best Ornament draughts-man in Europe'.

A group of giltwood brackets with very similar carving attributed to the carver and following his and Copeland's design of 1752 exists, one pair being sold Christie’s New York, Property from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Saunderson, 15 April 2005, lot 200 ($132,000).