A Fine George III Carved Mahogany Concertina-Action Card Table

circa 1760, oak secondary, hinged mahogany serpentine top and lid with relief carved edge featuring repeating rosettes opening to reveal a later tooled brown leather playing surface supported by a hinged pull-out concertina leg support, when opened forms a fully square table and playing surface finished and carved with the same motif to all sides, hidden full width game piece drawer pulls out from the underside to reveal a divided tray, robust skirt featuring center relief carved shell and acanthus leaf carvings, the upper stile with asymmetrical shell and acanthus leaf, tall cabriole legs, carved whorl feet.
27 x 36 x 17.75 in., opened depth 35.25 in.
The elaborately carved detail of rocaille and shell design is straight from the 'French' designs published by Thomas Chippendale in The Gentleman and Cabinet-maker's Director.
Henry Hirsch, Esq., 23 Park Lane, London
Christie's, London, June 10, 1931, The Important Collection of English Furniture formed by Henry Hirsch, Esq., lot 52.
With M. Harris and Sons, London.
With Malcom Franklin Antiques, Chicago, 1986.
Christie's, New York, January 26, 2010, The Collection of Benjamin F. Edwards III, lot 407.

Literature:
P. Macquoid, 'Mr. Henry Hirsch's Furniture - I', Country Life, October 25, 1924, p. 632, fig.4.
P. Macquoid and R. Edwards, ed., The Dictionary of English Furniture, London, 1927, vol. III, p. 193, fig. 27.
R. Edwards, ed., The Dictionary of English Furniture, revised edition, Woodbridge, Suffolk, 1954, vol. III, p. 200, fig. 26.
R. Edwards, ed. The Shorter Dictionary of English Furniture, London, 1964, p. 523, fig. 19.
Private Collection, Greensboro, North Carolina
Additional high-resolution photos are available at www.lelandlittle.com

Top lid with warp and shrinkage crack; later brown leather surface with crazing to surface; a few minor chips and wood loss throughout; later hinges to the concertina; rear left leg with inside of rail break out and loss.