A REGENCY MAHOGANY DRESSING-TABLE

This dressing-table with it's sunken panels of exotically flame-figured mahogany heading the front legs, relates closely to Messrs. Gillows' 1813 commission for Hackwood, Hampshire. In July 1813 Gillows delivered six dressing-tables for the 2nd Duke of Bolton, each with a pair of drawers flanking each side of the concave front. They were described in Gillows' Memorandum of July 1813, North East Bedroom, as: 'To a Mahogany five drawer Dressing Table on turned Reeded legs as before 8 16s 6d'. Four, varying in size, were sold Christie's House Sale, 20-22 April 1998, lots 356 & 358-360.

This pattern was already in existence slightly earlier, as in 1811 Gillows' supplied a 'Five drawer Dressing Table with rim on turned reeded legs' for Parlington Hall, Yorkshire; and in 1812 supplied related tables to Tatton Park, Cheshire (C. Gilbert, Furniture at Temple Newsam House and Lotherton Hall, Leeds, 1978, vol. II, no. 500; and N. Goodison and J. Hardy, 'Gillows at Tatton Park', Furniture History, 1970, pl. 19B and 21B).