Rare 18th Century Mahogany Spider Table

This is a very fine 18th Century antique mahogany spider table of rare form, having beautifully shaped open stretchers, intended to make space for a chair so that the piece could be used as a writing desk. In wonderful original condition, of lovely colour with highly figured mahogany veneer to the top. The hinges are original, there is one patched area underneath, it looks as if the maker changed his mind and decided to actually fit four hinges instead of two or three, making the top extra strong. The Table is very clean and untouched underneath. There is little doubt that this form of table was made for important houses of the day, very few examples seem to have survived or been documented. However there are no less than three examples at the Vyne a national trust property said to be a Tudor powerhouse turned family home. See Dictionary of English Furniture , by Ralph Edwards. fig. 26