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Lot Essay
This particularly richly-carved base with its shells, and naturalistic blossoming floral chains is characteristic of the rococo or pittoresque style predominant in France from the early part of the eighteenth century and introduced into England shortly thereafter. An impressive pair of side tables with knees featuring similarly executed ruffled shells suspending floral garlands was probably commissioned by Sir William Beauchamp-Proctor, 1st Bt. for Langley Park, Norfolk and was sold by the family, Christie's London, 6 July 1995, lot 100 (£452,500).
The table's distinctive pierced underbrackets features in a design by Gillow for a kettle stand, dated May 1769 (see L. Boynton, ed., Gillow Furniture Designs 1760-1800, Hertfordshire, 1995, pl.70), as well as in a pattern published by Mayhew and Ince in their The Universal System of Household Furniture of 1762, pl.XIV. This relatively uncommon feature appears on a stand from the collection of Joseph and Laverne Schieszler, sold in these Rooms, 21 October 1999, lot 143 ($90,500); and a further kettle stand, 'French & Company', sold in these Rooms, 24 November 1998, lot 34 ($110,000). Another table with this feature is illustrated in F. Hinckley, Metropolitan Furniture of the Georgian Years, New York, 1988, p. 103, ill. 150.
The table's distinctive pierced underbrackets features in a design by Gillow for a kettle stand, dated May 1769 (see L. Boynton, ed., Gillow Furniture Designs 1760-1800, Hertfordshire, 1995, pl.70), as well as in a pattern published by Mayhew and Ince in their The Universal System of Household Furniture of 1762, pl.XIV. This relatively uncommon feature appears on a stand from the collection of Joseph and Laverne Schieszler, sold in these Rooms, 21 October 1999, lot 143 ($90,500); and a further kettle stand, 'French & Company', sold in these Rooms, 24 November 1998, lot 34 ($110,000). Another table with this feature is illustrated in F. Hinckley, Metropolitan Furniture of the Georgian Years, New York, 1988, p. 103, ill. 150.