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Dimensions: height 29 1/4 in.; width 39 in.; depth closed 19 in. (74.3cm; 99.1cm; 48.3cm)

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Provenance: Percival D. Griffiths, Sandridgebury, Kent, purchased circa 1908
Geoffrey Blackwell, Esq.
Sir James Caird, Bart., sold Christie's, London, July 8, 1993, lot 75

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Literature: Literature:
Herbert Cescinsky, English Furniture of the Eighteenth Century, George Routledge and Sons, London, 1911, p. 55, fig.47
Country Life, January 27, 1912, 'Furniture of the XVII & XVIII Centuries Mr. Percival Griffiths' Collection', Percy Macquoid, pp. 139-144, fig. 3
R. W. Symonds, The Present State of Old English Furniture, Duckworth, London, 1921, fig.45
Frederick Litchfield, Illustrated History of English Furniture, London, 1922, fig. 281
R. W. Symonds, Old English Walnut and Lacquer Furniture, Robert McBride, New York, 1923, pl. XXXII
R. W. Symonds, English Furniture from Charles II to George II, The Connoisseur, London, 1928, p.63, fig.34 and p.118, fig 72
R. W. Symonds and T. H. Ormsbee, Antique Furniture of the Walnut Period, Robert McBride, New York, 1947, pl. XXXII
Ed. Edward Lennox-Boyd, Masterpieces of English Furniture The Gerstenfeld Collection, London, 1998, p. 25, fig.13

See:
Sotheby's, London, November 16, 1984, lot 79, for a mahogany card table with extended corners, the knees carved with almost identical lions' masks.

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Notes: This finely conceived card table forms an interesting transition between the ages of walnut and mahogany. The sculptural carving on the legs is found in both woods, but the subtle serpentine curved form of the frame is an indication of the advent of the rococo period. Feather banding in walnut was also seldom used after this date, exotic specimen woods being used for more imaginative cross-bandings. Percival Griffiths' collection also included several different forms of seat furniture ornamented with lions' masks including a chair-back settee with identical carving to the present table.

It is interesting to note that this table was one of the first pieces of furniture to enter Griffiths' collection having been purchased in about 1908. Although many changes were made to the collection during the next thirty years as lesser pieces were disposed of and his personal taste changed due to the influence of Robert Symonds, this table remained with him until his death.