Description

A George IVth period oak ‘chamber writing table’ attributed to Gillows. Provenance: Raby Castle, Co. Durham.
Gillow supplied many pieces of furniture to Raby Castle in the 1820’s, prior to a visit by George IVth.
This table exhibits typical Gillow features such as carved scroll supported trestle ends, cock- beaded reserves on the frieze, squared floral panels, and a feature it appears, confined to Gillows, a lift up recess to the back of the table to hold ink bottles and pens. A similar trestle ended table design was first illustrated by Thomas Hope in his ‘Household Furniture and Interior Decoration’ of 1807 and a further version by George Smith in his ‘Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer’s Guide’ of 1826. The use of oak and other ‘native’ timbers in Britain, duing the early years of the 19th Century was seen as patriotic.