Rare William IV miniature mahogany dining table with four leaves, second quarter of the 19th century. With reeded legs of William IV origin, the solid mahogany top with skirt with telescoping action complete with crank to insert the four leaves. The design is a series of telescopic interlinked frames which allow the table to be opened and closed with a crank while the two center legs remain in place.
Much rarer than their larger counterparts, miniature furniture is of exceptional quality and highly sought after. They fall into three categories: some were commissioned, duplicates in miniature of pieces privately owned, others were considered salesman samples, and a smaller amount but of lesser quality were apprentice pieces. Commissioned pieces were used for early doll house furnishings which became the hobby of ruling families and wealthy merchants, display cabinets and houses being furnished with diminutive items which were highly valued and considered part of the household collection. The renowned firm Gillows was responsible for many of the early fine furniture examples, and it rare to see a maker’s name stamped on these pieces. It is generally agreed that salesmen did not travel until the 1830s when mass production began to move furniture out of the cabinetmaker’s shop and into the factory, and this postdates most of the fine examples. Apprentice pieces demonstrated skill and workmanship but used the cheapest materials available - often basic in construction they are of lesser quality but often have a lot of character.
Size: 6 ¼ h x 15 w x 39 ¾ d in
A19969