A Superb Pair of George III Satinwood and Marquetry Console Tables
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A Superb Pair of George III Satinwood and Marquetry Console Tables
Attributed to William Ince & John Mayhew
English, circa 1780.
Dimensions:
Height: 30 in. (76 cm)
Width: 48 in. (122cm)
Depth: 22 in. (56 cm) and 23 in. (58 cm)
An exceptional pair of George III satinwood and marquetry console tables, of generous proportions and distinguished by the superb colour and rich, mellow patination of their satinwood tops.
Each top is finely inlaid with tulipwood banding enclosing a border of delicate rosettes, centred by an exquisite marquetry panel depicting a musical trophy, flanked by scrolling foliage. The friezes are decorated with finely executed inlaid foliate panels incorporating pineapple motifs, above elegant square, tapering legs.
One table retains an additional strip of border to the rear, whilst the other is fitted with dowels, allowing the two tables to be joined together to form a single circular table when required. This adaptable arrangement is both practical and testament to the considered design of the period.
The combination of beautifully figured satinwood, delicate marquetry and refined Neoclassical ornament places these tables firmly within the sophisticated tradition of late eighteenth-century English furniture, and is highly characteristic of the work produced in the circle of the celebrated London cabinetmakers William Ince and John Mayhew.
Ince & Mayhew
William Ince and John Mayhew established their celebrated London partnership around 1758, becoming amongst the foremost cabinetmakers and furnishers of the Georgian period. Over more than four decades, they supplied furniture and complete interior schemes to some of the most distinguished aristocratic families in England.
Their work reflects the transformation of English furniture design during the second half of the eighteenth century, from the lingering exuberance of the Rococo towards the elegance and restraint of the Neoclassical style. Working alongside leading architects and designers, including Robert Adam, they produced furniture distinguished by its harmonious proportions, sophisticated ornament and masterful use of fine timbers, particularly satinwood, enriched by delicate marquetry.
Their illustrious clientele included the Dukes of Bedford, the Earls of Coventry at Croome Court and the Earls of Darnley at Cobham Hall. Their commissions formed part of the creation and refinement of some of the most important aristocratic interiors of Georgian England.
The present pair of console tables embodies the qualities so admired in the finest English furniture of this period: exceptional materials, intricate decorative craftsmanship and an elegant architectural sensibility. Their generous scale, beautifully patinated satinwood and unusual facility for conversion into a circular table make them a particularly appealing example of the refined furnishing tradition associated with Ince & Mayhew and their contemporaries.
