Oliver Cornish
Sale Coordinator for Furniture, Sculpture, Rugs & Tapestries
This auction has ended. View lot details
You may also be interested in
Lot 142TP,Y
A pair of Regency brass mounted rosewood and brass inlaid writing tables or bonheur du jours Circa 1820, in the manner of John McLean
5 July 2024, 14:00 BST
London, New Bond StreetSold for £4,480 inc. premium
Looking for a similar item?
Our Home and Interiors specialists can help you find a similar item at an auction or via a private sale.
Find your local specialistAsk about this lot
Thomas Moore
Head of Department
A pair of Regency brass mounted rosewood and brass inlaid writing tables or bonheur du jours
Circa 1820, in the manner of John McLean
Each with line-inlaid tablets, the superstructure comprising a pierced interlaced gothic arched three quarter galleried upper tier above a three quarter screen of pierced geometric fretwork, interspersed by five engine turned and spiral reeded turned columns, the lower tier with two short mahogany lined drawers, the stand with a beaded moulded edge, over one long mahogany lined frieze drawer inlaid with a central stylised foliate motif, on simulated rosewood ring turned tapering legs each mounted with an egg and dart moulded collar, terminating in brass cappings and castors, 83cm wide x 44cm deep x 117cm high, (32 1/2in wide x 17in deep x 46in high) (2)
Each with line-inlaid tablets, the superstructure comprising a pierced interlaced gothic arched three quarter galleried upper tier above a three quarter screen of pierced geometric fretwork, interspersed by five engine turned and spiral reeded turned columns, the lower tier with two short mahogany lined drawers, the stand with a beaded moulded edge, over one long mahogany lined frieze drawer inlaid with a central stylised foliate motif, on simulated rosewood ring turned tapering legs each mounted with an egg and dart moulded collar, terminating in brass cappings and castors, 83cm wide x 44cm deep x 117cm high, (32 1/2in wide x 17in deep x 46in high) (2)
Footnotes
A number of elements which constitute the present writing tables are redolent of the output of John McLean and Son during the early 19th century. These include; the use of rosewood combined with brass mounts and also often brass inlay; their size, proportions, overall design and configuration; the distinctive brass trellis work and columns to the upper tier; and the staggered use of applied ring turnings to the tapering legs.
A very similar bonheur du jour to those comprising the offered lot, albeit perhaps one arguably over enthusiastically directly attributed to McLean, sold Sotheby's, New York, 11 October 2012, Fine European Furniture, lot 406. Other related versions include a table sold Christie's, London, 13 November 1997, lot 93 and one sold Sotheby's, New York, Tom Devenish: The Collection, 24 April 2008, lot 176.
Another notable comparable is a McLean-labelled cheveret or small writing table which is illustrated in S. Redburn, "John McLean and Son", Furniture History, 1978, Vol. XIV, pl. 40A. This appears to be the closest overall to the above, certainly in terms of documented or labelled McLean pieces. However, further models which share various characteristics typical of McLean also feature in the same article, Ibid, pl.'s 38A, 38B, 39A and 39B.