H. Blairman & Sons Ltd

The design attributed to John Pollard Seddon (1827–1906)

Satinwood, inlaid with various woods; brass castors, and leather top of later date

73 × 135.8 × 63.5 cm

English (probably London), circa 1865

The attribution of the present table is based on its close resemblance to a drawing by Seddon in the Victoria and Albert Museum (D.1885–96) inscribed ‘Design for table’; see H. Blairman & Sons, Furniture and Works of Art (2006), no. 5.

Many of the distinguishing features in the Seddon design, such as the ring- turned embellishments to the legs and the dot and line inlay, are also to be found in furniture designed by Charles Bevan (active circa 1860–circa 1882). The latter designer is thought, however, to have pirated Seddon designs to which he was exposed while working for the London cabinet-maker Johnstone & Jeanes (see H. Blairman & Sons Ltd, Gothic-Revival Furniture by Charles Bevan, n.d. [2003]).

Two tables of this pattern have been noted. An example in walnut is in an American private collection (Furniture and Works of Art (loc. cit.), and another, in satinwood, in an English private collection.