THE ROTHSCHILD MENTMORE EBONY, MARQUETRY AND ORMOLU CENTRE TABLE

THE ROTHSCHILD MENTMORE EBONY, MARQUETRY AND ORMOLU CENTRE TABLEmid 19th century, the Victorian table with circular ebony veneered top, inlaid in the 17th century style with various specimen woods in a marquetry design depicting a central explosion of flowers, such as carnations, roses and tulips, flanked by an outer border of further flowers and scrolling acanthus leaves, with various butterflies and birds amongst them and a pair of grotesque masks, the top raised on three gilt bronze dolphins, resting on a triform plinth over concealed castors, with later, removable glass top,82.5cm high x 150cm diameterProvenance:Probably acquired by Baron Mayer Amschel de Rothschild (1818 –1874), Mentmore, Buckinghamshire;Thence by descent to Hannah de Rothschild, later Countess of Rosebery (1851 – 1890), Mentmore, Buckinghamshire;Thence by descent until sold Sotheby's London, Mentmore, 18 May 1977, lot 100 (£5,000).Literature: Christopher Payne, European Furniture of the 19th century, 1981, p.224.Footnote:Mentmore was built in 1852-4 by Sir Joseph Paxton and G.H. Stokes for Baron Mayer Amschel de Rothschild. The present table was most likely ordered at that time by Baron Rothschild to furnish the property as stylistically it dates from this period; and was certainly at Mentmore in the 19th century as it later formed part of the collection belonging to his daughter, Hannah de Rothschild, later Countess of Rosebery (1851 – 1890). The ornate 17th century style of the table would presumably have appealed to Baron Rothschild as he ordered Sir Joseph Paxton, previously responsible for the Crystal Palace, to build his massive country house in the Jacobean style of the early 17th century.The table is clearly visible in a photograph of the dining room at Mentmore in 1977 (see Historic England Archive BB76_03883.) and featured in the famous Sotheby’s auction of that year, where it sold for the princely sum of £5000. An attribution to the prestigious English furniture maker by Edward Holmes Baldock (1777-1845) has previously been suggested, as another table marked ‘EHB’ by Baldock was sold at the same time in the Mentmore auction, and the table relates closely to another decorated with gilt bronze dolphins supplied by Baldock in 1837 to George Granville, 2nd Duke of Sutherland at Stafford House, now Lancaster House.