Spetchley - Property from the Berkeley Collection

Spetchley - Property from the Berkeley Collection

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 115. A GEORGE IV ROSEWOOD TABLE WITH SPECIMEN MARBLE TOP, CIRCA 1820, THE FRAME ATTRIBUTED TO GILLOWS.

A GEORGE IV ROSEWOOD TABLE WITH SPECIMEN MARBLE TOP, CIRCA 1820, THE FRAME ATTRIBUTED TO GILLOWS

Auction Closed

December 11, 04:05 PM GMT

Estimate

8,000 - 12,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

A GEORGE IV ROSEWOOD TABLE WITH SPECIMEN MARBLE TOP, CIRCA 1820, THE FRAME ATTRIBUTED TO GILLOWS


the square top inset with a panel radially inlaid with stone specimens including lapis, porphyry, malachite, jasper and granite, the tri-form base with concealed brass castors

75cm. high, 48cm. wide, 48cm. deep; 2ft. 5½in., 1ft. 7in., 1ft. 7in.


This lot contains endangered species. Sotheby's recommends that buyers check with their own government regarding any importation requirements prior to placing a bid. Please note that Sotheby's will not assist buyers with the shipment of this lot to the US. A buyer's inability to export or import these lots cannot justify a delay in payment or sale cancellation.

Probably Robert Berkeley (1764-1845) who may well have acquired the specimen marble top in Italy between 1816-1818

Inventory, 1893, 'A Rosewood square table marble top (inlaid coloured marbles)' in the Library;

Inventory, 1949, 'A George 4th, rosewood table with square top inlaid central marble panel' in the Study

Gillows produced designs for rosewood pole screen supports on paw feet which relate closely to the present lot. They also produced two tables in London to support ‘Grand Tour’ inlaid specimen tops for Stephen Tempest of Broughton Hall, North Yorkshire. These date from 1821, Gillows write to Tempest, ‘A handsome pillar and claw for your marble slab richly carved in rosewood’. This completed table is illustrated Susan Stuart, Gillows of Lancaster and London, 1730-1840, Vol. I, Woodbridge, 2008, p.337, pl.391. Patrons, like Robert Berkeley, were clearly supplying costly tops for the cabinet-maker to raise on appropriately extravagant stands. There are several such tops at Spetchley, all with sophisticated rosewood bases.