Lot 89
A George III mahogany envelope-top games table
20 November 2013, 14:00 GMT
London, New Bond Street£3,000 - £4,000
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A George III mahogany envelope-top games table
The square revolving top with four hinged leaves on a ring turned, lotus decorated and reeded column with downswept reeded legs terminating in block feet and roundels, on short spool feet, 45cm wide, 45cm deep, 75cm high (17.5in wide, 17.5in deep, 29.5in high).
Footnotes
A related table by Mayhew and Ince with a tripod base but with a parquetry-inlaid interior was supplied to Croome Court, Worcestershire. A further related example again with a marquetry top is illustrated in G. Wills, English Furniture 1760-1900, London, 1971, fig. 90, pl. 15. The table illustrated by Wills was sold from the collection of R.B.W. Clarke, Esq., Bridwell, Devon, at Bearne's, Torquay, 14 October 1992, lot 26.
This type of fold-out table with infolding leaves was patented in 1771 by by A. G. Eckard. Eckard wrote that 'this 'Portable Table' was '...so contrived as to answer all the Purposes of the Common Tables, and at the same time to lay in the compass of a small Box...the facility of changing the flaps at pleasure, the one of which being of any beautifull wood, and the other covered with green cloth, it will then occasionally serve either as a tea table or as a card or writing table'.