Classic Design: Furniture, Silver, Ceramics & Clocks
Classic Design: Furniture, Silver, Ceramics & Clocks
Property of a Nobleman
A George III mahogany 'rent' drum table, circa 1770
Lot Closed
November 8, 02:45 PM GMT
Estimate
12,000 - 18,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
Property of a Nobleman
A George III mahogany 'rent' drum table, circa 1770
the rotating top with a lidded central reserve and now with a later gilt-tooled red leather top, above lettered drawers to the frieze, secured to the square pedestal with a sliding catch, the base fitted with a cupboard containing a shelf, with concealed brass castors
73.5cm. high, 118cm. wide; 2ft. 5in., 3ft. 10½in.
Thence by descent.
This table conforms to a popular late 18th century type, sometimes described as a 'rent' table, the lettered drawers allowing for the alphabetical arrangement of important estate papers. The present example omits the letters J and U, bringing the number of drawers to a neater total of 12 instead of 13. The decision to miss out these letters in particular should be seen in the context of the high levels of literacy in Latin amongst the aristocracy and gentry of the eighteenth century, given that Classical Latin does not differentiate between I and J, nor U and V (thus the name 'Julius' tended to be written as 'IVLIVS').
For related examples, see the drum table from the Collection of Ambassador and Mrs. Felix Rohatynold, sold Sotheby's New York, 21 October 2020, lot 211 ($30,240 with premium) and the table formerly in the collections of the Barons Monson, sold Sotheby's London, 29 April 2014, lot 21 (£25,000 with premium).