George III Chippendale Spider Leg Table

About This Object

A very fine and rare mid-18th century George III Mahogany Spider Leg side table, attributed to ‘The Dumfries House Cabinet-Maker’.

English, circa 1760.

With an unusually thin, rectangular well-figured solid mahogany top, above a plain frieze, on slender, ring turned legs, joined by conforming stretchers, raised on tassel feet. A number of closely related side tables in mahogany, attributed to ‘The Dumfries House Cabinet-Maker’, possibly Thomas Chippendale, was supplied circa 1760 to Lord Dumfries (illustrated). A related table, distinguished by a superb quality of construction, and having same turned tassel feet, similarly constructed frieze and thin top, is at Fenton House (NT 1448858), possibly supplied under the guidance of John Fowler, who decorated the house in 1960's.

Thomas Chippendale supplied ‘Two neat Mahogany Spider leg Tables of good wood’ to Sir Edwin Knatchbull for Mersham-le-Hatch in 1768. A further related table at The Vyne, Hampshire was described in the 1776 inventory as a ‘spider leg’ table (see R. Edwards, The Shorter Dictionary of English Furniture, London, 1964, p. 553, figs 18 & 19).

A related table was sold Christie’s London, 9 August 2011 lot 222. Notably, the table bears an 18th century ink inscription n the underside of the top, reading: 'A. Yeoman's Table given her by Mr Watson in 1783', and a later typewritten paper label, with the same inscription and a reference: 'Furniture at Temple Newsam House and Lotherton Hall' by Christopher Gilbert, Vol II, p. 366, no. 460 (where an almost identical table is illustrated, with a reference to the present table, owned by Harold Tweed of Bradford).

Provenance: Harold Tweed of Bradford. James W Tweed and Harold Tweed joined BADA (British Antique Dealers Association) in July 1952 trading as J. and W. Tweed, 408 and 410 Leeds Road, Bradford.

Although the 18th century provenance of this table remains a mystery, we can suggest that the persons referred to in the inscription to the underside, might be Mr Yeoman and Mr Watson of Edinburgh, depicted on a watercolour On Windsor Terrace (c. 1760) by Paul Sandby (Scottish, 1731-1809), now in The Royal Collection Trust (RCIN 914448). The date and the alleged Scottish origin of the people, associated with this table support the attribution to ‘The Dumfries House Cabinet-Maker’.