Bonhams
Lot 254
A George III mahogany, harewood and fruitwood marquetry demi-lune tablePossibly attributed to William Moore of DublinThe top inlaid with a shaded fan and bellflowers enclosed by a ribbon tied garland of shamrocks above a fluted inlaid frieze on square tapering legs inlaid with trailing bellflowers, 117cm wide x 47cm deep x 82cm high, (46in wide x 18 1/2in deep x 32in high)Footnotes:Whilst associated with Ireland, William Moore (d.1815) was a London cabinet maker who served his apprenticeship with the celebrated London firm of Ince and Mayhew where he specialised as a 'marqueteur' prior to the establishment of his own firm in Dublin in 1782. Ince and Mayhew's work from the late 1760s was increasingly in the emerging Neo-Classical manner which was filtering through to Britain from France through the published works of such architects as Delafosse and Gilles-Marie Oppenord. Although it was not until the publication of Robert and James Adam's Works in Architecture in 1773 (featuring Robert Adam's neo-Classical interiors at Kenwood, 1768-71 and Osterley Park, 1767-80) that the transition was completed. Ince and Mayhew were best known for their skilled and innovative use of marquetry and were able to put themselves at the vanguard of the new fashion and it is within this environment that Moore's work must be considered. Ince and Mayhew's mature Neo-Classical marquetry depended upon a vocabulary of large scale motifs, such as urns, tripods and swags 'coloured and boldly inlaid upon contrasting fields (and) subtle foliage inlaid in different woods', often fruit woods such as pear, holly, plum and harewood.Moore's apprenticeship with Ince and Mayhew provided him not only with the finest skill as a cabinetmaker and marquetry specialist but also with an education in contemporary taste and design that enabled him to set up on his own in 1782. Keen to open his own firm and with the high end of the London market saturated with firms, Moore moved to Dublin and this proved to be well timed and profitable due to the birth of Dublin's Georgian New Town and the massive increase in demand for fashionable cabinet makers. A situation closely comparable to that in Edinburgh and the sudden success of cabinet makers such as William Trotter. Moore's first known premises were in Abbey Street, 1785-90 and subsequently larger premises in Capel Street, where he remained until his death in 1815.A comparable pair of of demi-lune pier tables with an inlaid shaded fan, radiating veneers and ribbon tied shamrock garland top attributed to Moore of Dublin can be seen at the Cooper-Hewitt Museum in New York (item number 18459929). This pair of pier tables are also referenced in Irish Furniture by The Knight of Glin and James Peil, page 165, Fig. 223. A demi-lune table sold by Bonhams, Fine Furniture Sale, New Bond Street, 19 October 2011, lot 109 which had a similar riband tied garland, with laurel leaves instead of shamrocks.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TPTP Lots denoted with a 'TP' will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
