Peacock's Finest

A fine French late 18th century bench / window seat or banquette, of great colour and desirable generous proportions. Stamped G.Jacob. France, circa 1795. Why we like it A handsome, timeless design. With its curved sabre legs at either end, this bench relates to the ancient Greek 'Klismos' seats, often seen depicted on Attic pottery...

An extremely elegant, superb quality set of six George III period mahogany dining chairs. A pair of matching armchairs is available separately. English, circa 1780–1800 Why we lik...

A very fine and elegant Regency period set of eight 'Klismos' chairs after designs by Thomas Hope, the manufacture attributed to Gillows England, circa 1810. Why we like them The...

Collectors' choice - a very fine and rare Regency period pair of mahogany chairs, firmly attributed to George Bullock. England, circa 1815. Why we like them These superb quality, wo...

A very smart early Georgian side table of elegant, slender design and  compact proportions. Gorgeous colour and patination. Extremely rare in...

A pair of Regency style 'Klismos' stools or benches, upholstered in John Boyd Textiles horsehair fabric. Why we like them These super smart Klismos stools are inspired by ancient Gr...

A fine pair of hall chairs of the Regency period, attributed to Thomas Banting and William France. England, circa 1820. Why we like them These fine hall chairs have a particularly elegant and sophisticated scrolled cartouche design of the backs, with the finest carving and figuring of the timber. Also of great colour and natural patination, these chairs are highly decorative and rare. Attribution The design of these chairs is identical to a set of hall chairs...

A stunning pair of Chinese Ming style side chairs or meiguiyi, with spindle-backs and solid seats. China, Qing dynasty, circa 1800–1900. Why we like them Their smart design, superb quality and richly patinated, original colour make these chairs a rare and desirable find, a versatile and decorative object, suitable for sleek and opulent interiors. This type of chair was popular in the Ming dynasty for its light construction and elegant appearance. Design and history The golden age of Chinese furniture spanned the Ming (1368-1644) to middle Qing (1644-1912) dynasties, when furniture suddenly leaped away from previous lacquered softwoods towards austere and refined pieces crafted from Southeast Asian hardwoods. The emphasis was on simplicity, often with little or no decoration, wonderful timber selection and complex mortise and tenon joinery. No nails were used, so pieces could be broken down and flat-packed for storage and travel. Zitan wood was favoured by the Imperial Palace, and lent itself to exceptionally fine carving. But honey-coloured and richly figured huanghuali was the favourite of the scholar officials who governed China. Those who could afford to, decorated their studios sparsely with just a few select and useful pieces of huanghuali furniture: a painting table, a pairs of open book cabinets, a highbacked armchair and a pair of side chairs, maybe an incense stand, a strange rock evoking a distant mountain, and a painting. In design and interior spacing they were the first true minimalists. For a brief discussion of the lowback armchair...

A very decorative Regency period ebonised, brass inlaid and ormolu-mounted cabinet, with mirrored doors and Calacatta viola marble top, in the manner of James Newton. English, c. 1815 Why we like it One of the most elegant designs from the early 19th century, inspired by the ancient Egyptian motifs. The brass ball-feet and ormolu mounted columns are rare and unusual features, and the beautifully oxidised mirror plates and antique marble tops add to their timeless elegance. Attribution Designed in the early 19th century ‘antique’ manner, popularised by Percier and Fontaine and relate to patterns for 'Chiffoniers' and 'Drawing Room' pier tables published in George Smith's Collection of Designs for Household Furniture, 1808, pls. 114 and 122. Ebonised in the Egyptian taste and with the stylised palm-flowered pillars, relating to those of tripod torcheres in Thomas Hope's Household Furniture and Interior Decoration, 1807, pl. 22. Identical columns and ball-feet are seen on a group of pier cabinets, including a pair, sold Sotheby’s London, 29 June 2005, Lot 125, which is traditionally associated with the output of the London firm of James Newton. He labelled a suite of very similar chiffoniers sold from the collection of Maureen, Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava, Christie's, London, 25 March 1999, lots 320-321. While stylistically these cabinets relate to the pieces ascribed to James Newton, their constructional features, such as the use of cedar linings for the secretaire fittings, is relevant to the practice of another highly esteemed London firm of the Regency period, John McLean and Son. James Newton (1773-1821) Upholder and cabinet maker, trained in the celebrated workshops of Lawrence Fell and William Turton - business rivals of the great Thomas Chippendale - and, in the tradition of ambitious men, married the daughter of the latter, which in part accounts for his meteoric rise to prominence; executing commissions, inter alia, for Matthew Boulton at Soho House, the Earl of Jersey at Osterley, and Sir Gilbert Heathcote; familiar with the fashions of the Regency period, he is listed as a subscriber to Thomas Sheraton’s 1803 ‘Cabinet Dictionary’; a pair of chairs with close concordances to a design of Thomas Hope’s Household Furniture’ (plate 22), and bearing his label may be viewed at the Royal Pavilion Brighton...

A large oval wall mirror of the George III – early Regency period, in elegant giltwood frame with Églomisé (reverse-painted glass) border, English, circa 1800 Why we like it A wonde...

A charming pair of midcentury neoclassical style toleware tray tables or étagères or cocktail tables, painted yellow with polychrome accents. Ital...

A handsome pair of tall Art Deco – Hollywood Regency style polished metal table lamps,  Mid-20th century. Why we like them Their clean architectural design, beautifully accented by ...