About This Object
An exquisite 18th century kettle stand with pie-crust top in fiddleback mahogany. England, circa 1740-50. For an almost identical example see Sotheby's, London, November 12, 2024, Lot 27 (Sold: £18,000).
Why We Like It
We love this dainty, exquisite design and the exceptional, virtuoso carving to the base of this gorgeous little table, a jewel of a piece of furniture.
History
Tripod tables and kettle stands were primarily made for holding tea and coffee paraphernalia. Tea had been introduced into this country, from Holland, in the early 17th century and in spite of the high prices and heavy duty imposed, it gradually became a fashionable drink and tea-drinking a fashionable pastime. Towards the middle of the 18th century, there was a shift from the former fashion of drinking in tea gardens to drinking at home. Consequently, cabinet-makers turned their attention to the making of suitable ornamental tables. William Ince and John Mayhew illustrated designs for 'Tea Kettle Stands' in their The Universal System of Household Furniture, 1762, as did Thomas Chippendale in his The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker's Director, London, 3rd ed., 1762, p. LV.
A closely related example, featuring an identical base and certainly from the same workshop, was sold Sotheby's London, 12 November 2024, lot 27.
Dimensions
Height: 22 in / 56 cm
Width: 19.5 in / 49.5 cm
Depth: 17 in / 43 cm
Top:
Width: 11.75 in / 30 cm
Depth: 11.75 in / 30 cm
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