Lot 65
  • 65

A mahogany, tulipwood, amaranth, ivory and ebony inlaid mechanical games table, late 18th/early 19th century

Estimate
10,000 - 15,000 EUR
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Description

  • mahogany, tulipwood, ebony, ivory
  • The table closed: Height 73,5 cm.,width 86,5 cm., depth 43,5 cm. ; Height 29in., width 34in., depth 17¼in.
with amaranth stringing, opening to reveal three foldout leaves one of which reveals a secret drawer, the first fold out with a green leather baize, the second centered by an ebony and light wood veneered games board, the third with a retractable tric-trac box and two compartments with successive trays, on tapering legs

Condition

The illustration of the catalogue is accurate. Good overall condition. There are minute dents, marks and scratches to the veneer due to age and use. There are restorations to the veneer. Both black leathers are later. The mechanical table is in good restored condition. Unusual and very pleasant table with a wide variety of tops ranges.
"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."

Catalogue Note

Board games such as cards, chess and tric-trac were very fashionable throughout the 18th century, which explains the trend for gaming tables purchased by the upper and middle classes of the time. Many European Royal Estates and townhouses had a Salon des jeux, like that of Marie-Antoinette at Compiègne, which housed several tables of different shapes for multiple purposes. The gaming tables also facilitated the taste for technical and complicated mechanical pieces of furniture in which the cabinetmaker David Roentgen excelled. In 1771, Roentgen created his first neoclassical mechanical table for his patron, Prince Friedrich III Leopold Friedrich von Anhalt-Dessau. The construction of the table we are presenting would have been inspired by Roentgen's production (see the table at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, in Wolfram Koeppe et al., Extravagant Inventions, the princely furniture of the Roentgens, New York, 2012, No. 45, pp. 163-165).