A rare 18th century George III Chippendale period mahogany 'Spider Leg' side table, attributed to ‘The Dumfries House Cabinet-Maker’.

English or Scottish, circa 1770.

Why we like it

We love the elegant simplicity of this table, the unusual thinness of its components, which lend this design a very delicate look. It boasts a rich history too, manifested in multiple signs of its age and intense use. It is miraculous how it has survived 250 years of use, given the highly fragile nature of its design.

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 at Dumfries House, Scotland (illustrated). A further related table, distinguished by the superb quality of construction, is at Fenton House (NT 1448858).

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.

Literature:

'Furniture at Temple Newsam House and Lotherton Hall' by Christopher Gilbert, Vol II, p. 366, no. 460