A GEORGE III MAHOGANY PEDESTAL DESK

ATTRIBUTED TO THOMAS CHIPPENDALE, THIRD QUARTER 18TH CENTURY

Details

The rectangular tooled leather top with moulded edge incorporating a ratcheted writing slope, above a frieze with two short and one long drawer and opposing short drawers, the central kneehole flanked by pedestals containing three graduated drawers, with opposing cupboard doors opening to reveal three further drawers, the sides with carrying handles, on a moulded plinth with anti-friction castors
32 3/4 in. (83 cm.) high; 60 1/2 in. (154 cm.) wide; 32 1/2 in. (83 cm.) deep
Provenance

Acquired from Godson & Coles, London, 2000.
Lot Essay

This pedestal desk is of a pattern associated with the 'Library Table' supplied to William Crichton-Dalrymple, 5th Earl of Dumfries (1699-1768) for Dumfries House, Ayrshire, by Thomas Chippendale. The latter was invoiced on 5 May 1759 as 'a Mahog: Library Table of very fine wood the top cover'd wt. best black leather, a Writing drawer at one End wt. a double rising slider cover'd, & drawers and Cupboards in the sides & stong triple wheel castors £22'. The Dumfries House desk was included in the Christie's Dumfries House catalogue, 12 July 2007, lot 30.
The present desk retains its original leather, which appears to be of the same manufacture as that on the Dumfries House desk, and similary features panelled doors with moulding with reentrant corners. The reentrant corners also feature on a desk by Thomas Chippendale made for Paxton House, Scotland. The beading of the drawer fronts and plinth base also appears to be of the same manufacture, firmly pointing to an attribution to the Chippendale workshop.