Serving Tables

I had a fun afternoon last weekend looking at Ince & Mayhew serving tables.  Once again, someone had contacted me through this website to ask about my research and see if I had any knowledge of a particular serving table which was decorated with amazing rams' heads.

I discovered that Christie's held a sale last week at which an Ince & Mayhew serving table was sold for £17,500.  This magnificent piece has swags and carved husk pendants, a good indication that it was made by the firm.  The craftsmanship is superb.  The Lot Essay describes a number of tables that have similar features to this one, and are proven to have been made by them. 

Another beautiful carved mahogany table attributed to the firm was sold in March last year.  This had a goat's mask with beribboned husk swags for decoration and went for £20,000.  A magnificent I&M tea caddy was sold in the same auction for $4750.  It was the property of the Earl and Countess of Perth, sold in 1996.

TODAY in Christie's New York Auction, you will find the Parham Park Ince & Mayhew Suite, a suite of George III cream and blue painted mahogany dining room furniture, including a serving table and two urns.  There are matching side tables, one of which dates back to 1775 made by Ince & Mayhew, the other more recent.  The Suite was  supplied  to Sir Cecil Bisshopp, 8th Bt (later 12th Baron Zouche) 1753-1828 for Parham Park, Sussex and sold by Christie's in 1966 by the executors of one of his descendants.  It is worth looking at the photos in close-up to admire the workmanship. The estimate for the serving table and urns is $80,000 to $120,000 and for the side tables $30,000 to $50,000.
 
Also in this auction a copy of the Universal System of Household Furniture is up for auction in New York, with an estimate of $8000 to $12,000.  At the bottom of the frontispiece is a note that the book is 'To be had of the Authors & at A Weoblys near Chancery Lane Holborn & of all other Booksellers.'  It will be interesting to see what price they make.