Beschreibung:

An important George II giltwood side table with a specimen top comprised of assorted hardstones, marbles and minerals including Blue JohnThe table 1735-1740, the top 18th century The geometrically veneered top inset with assorted specimens, comprising a triple tablet centred by an octagon, flanked by square and rectangular blocking, encompassed by an octagonal pattern border, within a conforming square and rectangular block surround, above an egg-and-dart moulded top edge, over a Vitruvian scroll frieze with acanthus spray angles, the drapery swagged apron below centred by a classical female mask against a draped surround, on four volute scroll eared cabriole legs each headed by a clasped carved lion mask above an acanthus spray and bellflower pendant, terminating in lion paw feet with hairy hocks, some losses to the border of the specimen top, the gilding has been applied to a mahogany base, 131cm wide x 67cm deep x 82cm high, (51 1/2in wide x 26in deep x 32in high)FootnotesProvenance Ripley Castle, located near Harrogate in North Yorkshire. The boldly carved Vitruvian scroll frieze bracketed by acanthus leaf ornament features on a side table of earlier date. It was designed by the architect William Kent for Ditchley Park in circa 1726 and was carved by James Richards It features in S. Weber, William Kent Designing Georgian Britain, New Haven, 2013, fig. 18.31, p. 491. A related giltwood and gilt gesso side table, which is attributed to Benjamin Goodison (c.1700-1767), forms part of the Royal Collection and is illustrated in The First Georgians, Art and Monarchy, 1714-1760, ed. by D. Shawe-Taylor, 2014, London, fig. 109, pp.'s 202-203. Dating to circa 1730, this impressive Royal table incorporates closely comparable elements such as the Vitruvian scroll frieze with acanthus angles, the central classical female mask on a draped background and the distinctive drapery swags to the apron. This table along with a similar gilt variant companion of the same date, the latter also attributed to Goodison, are noticeable in an 1816 watercolour by Charles Wild which depicts The Queen's Drawing Room at Windsor Castle, Ibid, fig. 45, p. 202. Both, despite their elaborate gilt gesso tops, are shown in this watercolour with two ship models from George III's collection positioned on top of them. Although evidently, they were transferred from this location to the Queen's Audience Chamber shortly afterwards and probably as soon as during the reign of George IV in the 1820s. During the early 20th century, the celebrated English furniture collector, Percival D. Griffiths, assembled under the auspices of the furniture historian, Robert Wemyss Symonds a collection which at the time was considered the finest in the country. Griffiths developed a penchant for certain elements associated with the Neo-Palladian style (often categorised as 'lion mask furniture'), typified by those aspects exhibited on the offered lot. Indeed, key items in his collection paralleling this style are illustrated in R.W. Symonds' seminal work, English Furniture from Charles II to George II, 1929, London, fig.'s 69-72 and 177-180. The Griffiths Collection was sold at Christie's in 1939 after Griffiths died while hunting with the Whaddon Chase on 11th December 1937. Furthermore, another table, a mahogany console with a marble slab top dating to circa 1735, has a number of shared characteristics with the present example and this appears in English Furniture from Charles II to George II, 1980, Woodbridge, fig.'s 147 & 177, pp.'s 159 and 180. Both have very similar egg-and-dart moulded top edges, Vitruvian scroll friezes and perhaps most notably each one is on cabriole legs carved with lion masks and acanthus leaves which terminate in hairy hocks and lion paw feet. In fact, this particular mahogany table, which previously formed part of the renowned Griffiths collection, sold Christie's, New York, 17 October 2008, Important English Furniture, lot 20. It is also interesting to n