A Regency brass-inlaid, ebony and rosewood octagonal centre table attributed to George Bullock, circa 1810

of octagonal shape

A stylish tilt-top centre table in good restored condition which is ready to place. The repolished top with some movement to the veneers resulting in typical age cracks. The ebony border with some repairs. The mahogany underside with 'butterfly' repairs and fillets to stabilise movement and shrinkage to top. Brass fixing mechanisms has been moved or replaced. Later ebonised surface to detail refreshed. Old marks and scratches consistent with age throughout but ready to place.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Furniture by George Bullock (1783 – 1818) was much sought after by European nobility; commissions spanned from the Duke of Buccleuch to the then exiled Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte (1769 – 1821). The architect Richard Brown said of Bullock ‘… some of his designs were certainly too massy and ponderous, nevertheless grandeur cannot be obtained without it; such are the standards of his octagon tables.’ Wainwright. C., George Bullock Cabinet-Maker, Chichester, 1988, p. 16. The photographed table in this page differs to the offered lot, excluding both the octagon top and, more importantly, the bold brass inlay with trefoil leaf design which bears a distinct similarity. Other examples of these tables from Bullock’s workshop sharing more in common include a mahogany table, formerly owned by Napoleon in St. Helena, sold in the Longwood sale in 1822. This example, like the present lot, is unusual for its use of a timber not native to England, a trait for which Bullock was known. The table is also supported by four splayed legs and a single robust stem however lacks inlay, see Levy. M., Napoleon in Exile, Leeds, 1998, p. 73, fig 57. On the previous spread a centre table from Napoleon’s drawing room, ibid, p. 71, fig. 54, also shares these characteristics with the addition of the roundels at the top of the legs and brass inlaid decoration at the base of the pedestal, albeit an oak example more commonly associated with the maker. Furthermore a table, formerly in the collection of Professor Richardson, ascribed as by Bullock shares brass inlay within the ebony top was sold Christie’s London, 18 September 2013.