An Extremely Unusual And Very Attractive Early 18th Century Mahogany Lowboy, Or Side Table, Retaining Rich Colour & Patina Throughout, Having Superbly Figured Rectangular Top, Over One Long And Two Highly Unusual Shaped Short Drawers, With Replacement Brass Handles, The Elegant Shaped Apron With Central Arch, Raised On Four Extremely Bold Cabriole Legs With Unusually Deep Projecting Knees, Terminating On Original Pad Feet.

Dating from the early part of the 18th century, this really is an exceptionally unusual and attractive lowboy, with a number of distinctive features which set it apart from the more conventional examples one normally encounters.

Constructed from good quality mahogany, with substantial oak drawer linings, it retains a superb rich colour and patina throughout, with plenty of natural figuring to the timber and the inevitable old marks, stains, scratches and imperfections which have accumulated over the course of some 300 years. These are very much part of its appeal and give the whole piece a wonderfully honest appearance.

The arrangement of drawers is particularly interesting. A conventional long drawer sits above two remarkably shaped short drawers, each having an angled inner edge which follows the pronounced central arch of the apron below. This creates a particularly bold and architectural appearance to the front and is certainly not a configuration which one sees very often. The brass handles are later replacements, but have been well chosen and sit comfortably with the overall appearance of the piece.

Perhaps the most striking feature however is the base. The shaped apron incorporates a deep central arched opening and flows into four exceptionally bold cabriole legs, with unusually deep projecting knees before sweeping down to the original pad feet. There is a real confidence to the proportions and construction, particularly around the knees and returns, which gives the table considerably more presence than its relatively compact size might suggest.

Although almost certainly conceived as a dressing table, or lowboy, it is an incredibly versatile piece of furniture for the modern home. Its unusual form and wonderful colour make it decorative enough to stand alone as a side table in a drawing room or hallway, whilst the three drawers provide useful storage and allow it to remain every bit as practical as it would originally have been.

As with all items which we offer for sale, this lowboy has been attended to in our workshops by our highly skilled and traditional antique furniture restorers, where it has received a natural wax polish before being offered for sale. It is therefore ready to place straight into the home.

Circa 1720.

Height 29in.
Width 28in.
Depth 19in.