Victorian Walnut Miniature Table c.1870

Victorian Walnut Miniature Table, circa 1870 Executed primarily in walnut, this fine piece of miniature furniture may have been produced for a grand baby house (dolls house) of the period or even as an apprentice piece by a journeyman furniture maker. Conceived as a centre table with a tilting top, the piece has a circular top with a moulded edge, inlaid to the centre with a very finely executed sixteen pointed star in satinwood and ebony. The inlay has been handled delicately and skilfully and is remarkably flat after all of the intervening years with no signs of lifting as seen on inferior pieces. This sort of parquetry decoration was very popular in this period, including on other surviving miniature pieces. However it is rarely used in such a complex manner on other miniatures-the stars are usually much simpler in design than the present example. The turned stem on the table is also finely executed with a variety of balustroid features turned in to the pieces and multiple turned mouldings. The stem rests upon a tripartite platform base but, highly unusually, the platform has incurved moulded sides with additional carved detailing. This is both attractive and a further sign of the quality of the maker. The platform sits upon three flattened bun feet. Miniature furniture has long been seen as highly collectable and there have been a number of books produced on the subject. This is an extremely fine example and would enhance any collection or simply act as a decorative accent in any interior.