A Regency rosewood and gilt-brass-mounted Carlton House desk circa 1815, in the manner of McLean & Son

the upper section with an arrangement of six small drawers flanked by a pair of concave doors, the sloping sides of the super-structure each with a frieze drawer to the front, the right hand drawer with pen and ink well compartments, the later gilt tooled leather writing surface centred by a ratchet-supported hinged panel, the sides and rear of the desk inlaid with brass stringing on turned legs and brass rings to the upper turning

The Duchess of Inverness
The hon. Mark Frances Napier, Puttenden Manor, Surrey during the first quarter 20th century
Thence by descent to the present owner

 

The present desk has stylistic affinities with three tables of this form by John McLean & Son respectively in the collections at Brympton D'Evercy, Somerset, Harewood House, (See: Simon Redburn, John McLean & Son, Pls. 35A and 35B), and one supplied to George, 5th Earl of Jersey.  The latter (lot 200 in this sale) is possibly part of the commission supplied by McLean to the Earl of Jersey, Berkeley Square on April 15, 1806, which included a 'A rosewood round library writing table elegantly mounted with ormolu moulding, lined with leather/cedar drawers and varnished, £26. 10'..

A design for a writing table of this form was first published in The Cabinet-Maker's London Book of Prices, in 1788, plate 21 illustrating 'A gentleman's Writing Table' by George Hepplewhite. Thomas Sheraton illustrated a 'Lady's Drawing and Writing Table' of this form in The Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer's Drawing Book of 1793. There is no reference in either of these publications to a possible connection with the Prince of Wales, although a manuscript drawing in Gillow's cost book of 1796 does illustrate a writing table of this design as a `Carlton House table'. A writing table of similar form was illustrated by Rudolph Ackermann in 1814 which he described as a 'Carlton House table' the `form having been first made for the august personage whose correct taste has so classically embellished that beautiful palace.'  For further discussion on the origins of this form of desk see the note to lot 200 in this sale.

The offered lot is known by family tradition as `The Inverness Desk' following its descent  to the present owner from the Duchess of Inverness who was the second wife of  Queen Victoria's uncle, the Duke of Sussex. The Duchess left her all her possessions to her sister Julia Lockwood whose daughter married Lord Napier. Julia Lockwood in turn passed  `all the furniture household goods plate, linen'¹ to her grandson The Hon Mark Francis Francis Napier who lived at Puttenden Manor Lingfield during the early 20th century.

1 Extract from Lady Julia Lockwood’s Will dated July 30^th 1860 and  codicil dated July 18^th 1874.