antiques & decorative arts in georgian ireland

SOME EXAMPLES OF IRISH FURNITURE & DECORATIVE ARTS OF THE 18TH CENTURY & EARLY 19TH CENTURY


The firm of Mack, Williams and Gibton was formed around 1812, but its history can be traced to the latter part of the 18th century, when John Mack established a cabinet-making business in Abbey Street, Dublin. First recorded in 1784, Mack continued to trade alone form Abbey Street until 1800 and in 1801 placed an advertisment in the Dublin Evening Post.	A very fine William IV period Irish mahogany Secretaire Abbatant, by Williams & Gibton, signed and numbered No. 34067, the drop front panelled writing compartment enclosing an arrangement or 26 pigeon hole compartments and 6 drawers above two conforming nicely panel doors flanked with pilasters, on a plinth base, 60" x 38" (153cms x 37cms)

About this time he was joined by another cabinet-maker, Robert Gibton, who had established his own business a few years earlier, trading at first from Aungier Street where he is recorded between 1790 and 1796, and afterwards from Stephen Street where he is recorded in 1800. Trade directories reveal that in addition to cabinet-making, Gibton also worked as an auctioneer, while his trade label, a copy of which survives on a deed box in the National Museum, Dublin, indicates that he was likewise a maker and seller of trunks, pormanteaus, gun cases and musical instrument cases.	The partnership of Mack and Gibton flourished and by 1803 the business had moved to larger premises in Stafford Street, and in 1805 the partnership was formalised. The following year Mack and Gibton received the ultimate accolade, being appointed `Upholsterers & Cabinet Makers to his Majesty, His Excellency and Lord Lieutenant and His Majesty's Board of Works'.

An important pair of Irish Regency period crested mahogany Hall Chairs, c 1815, attributed to Mack, Williams & Gibton, both struck with the number B. 9669, each with reeded C scroll shield shaped back centered with a painted crest and monogram in a cartouche over a solid seat on a front reeded sabre legs, the crest a demi-lion holding a shell - " The Gibbons Family of Ballynegall, Co. Westmeath"	*A fine quality Irish William IV mahogany bookcase stamped by the makers Williams & Gibton, circa 1835*
	In 1812, Robert Gibton died and was succeeded by his son, William Gibton (1789-1842). At the same time, a former apprentice, Zachariah Williams, who had married Robert Gibton's daughter, joined the management, thus creating the new partnership of Mack, Williams and Gibton. Under this name, the firm enjoyed unparalleled success. Mack, Williams and Gibton retained its Royal Warrant for many years, supplying and restoring furniture for some of the most important public buildings in Ireland including the Four Courts, the War Office, the Barracks Office, Dublin Castle, the Chapel Royal, and the Treasury and Viceregal Lodge. At the same time, the firm undertook commissions for several major Irish country houses such as Ballynegall, Co. Westmeath, Oakley Park, Co. Meath, and Strokestown, Co. Roscommon.
Early 19th century library table by Williams + Gibbon of Dublin, the top with rounded ends above panelled frieze with 2 drawers opposing king drawers, the turned and tapered supports with moulded collars on sledge supports with rounded feet and castors, c. 1830 stamped.60" wide x 29" high x 32"deep Price : € 13,500	Following the death of John Mack in 1929, the firm continued to trade under the names of the surviving partners, Williams and Gibton, and in 1844, two years after the death of William Gibton, it again changed its name to Williams and Sons, finally ceasing business in 1852.

A Rare Carved Walnut Suite of Furniture 19th Century Supplied in 1845 to Viscount Doneraile of Doneraile Court, Co. Cork, Ireland, by Robert Strahan of Henry Street, Dublin - each piece bearing their stamp and label. Comprising center/dining table, six side/dining chairs, pair of large library chairs, three(#TA24594 Robert Strahan's firm was founded in 1776. By 1845 they had opened two workshops at Henry St., and 5 Leinster Street. They exhibited at Dublin's great industrial exhibition of 1853.	A rare late Georgian mahogany library bookcase stamped R. Strahan, Dublin

Early 19th Century Regency period faded and figured mahogany extending swivel top Dining Table with moulded edged top, the 4 original leaves, supported on ring turned and spiral twist legs ending on brass castors. Stamped GILLINGTONS NO 4927	A superb Irish regency period mahogany Library Table, by Gillingtons of Dublin, the rectangular top with reeded edge and rounded corners above an arrangement of six frieze drawers, raised on four spiral reeded stems and four splayed legs with anthemion and shell castors united by a conforming stretcher, 70" (178cms)

An Irish mahogany three tier circular revolving bookcase, circa 1825, by Mack, Williams & Gibton

An early 19th C Cork table

This easy or wing chair is unusual in that the top rail is shaped in the form of a curve. The cabriole legs terminate in a typical Irish socks, and the legs are joined by the H-Shaped stretcher. The original is at Glin Castle, Co. Limerick, seat of the Knight of Glin.	Outstanding Irish armchair features blind fretwork, brackets, and pierced stretchers to reflect the "Chinese taste" popular in Ireland until 1760. Believed to be the work of Cooper Walker, the original is at Castletown.

Circa 1725, this elegant "balloon" chair or "backstool" was made for William Connolly of Castletown, Ireland, where the original of this magnificent object still resides. The magnificent carving on the arms and legs of the chair, the complicated rear legs and shaped top of the back combine to make these chairs real Irish masterpieces

An important mid-18th Century Irish Side Chair, the shaped leaf moulded top rail with shell corners above a pierced splat and tapestry covered seat on a leaf carved cabriole legs and paw feet, united by a shaped H stretcher, together with an almost identical ditto with ball n' claw feet	Twelve Irish mahogany dining chairs circa 1760 the shaped toprails with leaf-carved corners, the pierced trellis splats carved with C-scrolls and acanthus leaves flanked by fluted uprights, the stuffed seats with nailed horsehair upholstery, on moulded square legs headed by shaped angle brackets and with H-shaped stretchers

Killarneyware, the distinctive style of furniture produced in Killarney and the Gap of Dunloe during the mid-19th century. The use of Arbutus wood is typical of Killarney. This whitish close-grained wood which yellows with age had been highly valued for centuries in Ireland; the Seanchas Mor, Ireland's old law texts, mentioning the timber in a section on tree-damage (cf. John Teahan, Irish Furniture and Woodcraft, 1994, pp.39-42). Popular subjects frequently seen on Killarney furniture include such historical sites as Muckross Abbey, Glena Cottage, Muckross House and Ross Castle.	A games table, the rectangular folding top inlaid with a central view of 'Muckross Abbey' flanked by ferns and within concentric chequer and leaf borders, the playing surface inlaid for chess, backgammon and cribbage, and decorated with clover leaves flanked by oval medallions depicting a ruin and a cottage, the frieze with a trailing oak leaf border issuing from dolphins, on a facetted baluster pilar and shaped platform base further inlaid with clover leaves, and on ebonised paw feet 76 cm. high, 79 cm. wide, 41 cm. deep; 2 ft. 6 in., 2 ft. 7 in., 1 ft. 4 in.

	mid-18th century George III Irish giltwood oval mirror


The Mount Trenchard Cabinet. An Irish Mahogany kneehole writing cabinet, c. 1750, the moulded swan neck pediment carved with flower heads and center eagle cresting above two mirror doors, and two drawers on a projecting lower moulded section, with a fitted frieze drawer enclosing a baize covered slide and other fitted compartments, the kneehole section with a bank of three drawers and an apron drawer flanked to either side with three graduating drawers on bracket feet	This soaring Irish cabinet was originally built as a linen press sometime in the mid-eighteenth century. The exuberant carving of this period is seen in the Corinthian capitals of the fluted columns, the moulding of the swan-neck pediment, the elaborate gilded cartouche, and the square paw feet. This cabinet is truly an architectural triumph.


. The elongated shells on the knees and the square paw feet are very Irish.	the rectangular molded top above a shaped frieze centering a lion's mask carved with foliage and scrolls, the sides centered by stylized shells within foliate scrolls, raised on leaf-carved cabriole legs ending in paw feet.

A very important 19th Century Irish mahogany Side Table, the rectangular moulded top above an ornate apron with centre grotesque mask flanked with scrolling foliage and C scrolls, the side apron with carved shells raised on four leaf capped cabriole legs and paw feet, 64"x 30" x 24" (163cms x 76cms x 61cms)	An Irish mahogany side table late 19th century, by James Hicks of Dublin. The rectangular top above a leaf-carved frieze with an incised trellis ground centred by a carved pierced trelliswork basket of flowers flanked by swags of floral garlands issuing from flowerheads, the conforming side aprons centred by scallop shells and with carved drapery swags, the leaf-carved cabriole legs with lotus leaf and acanthus collars and ending in ball and claw feetThe present table is stamped in two places by the cabinet-maker James Hicks. Born into a family of Dublin chair-makers, Hicks served his apprenticeship in London. By the mid-1890s he had established one of the most successful cabinet-making firms in Dublin, producing furniture of superb quality in the styles of Sheraton, Hepplewhite,
	Dish Rings, also known as Potato Rings
These monumental Irish tables cannot be attributed with certainty to a particular maker although there were several established in Dublin at the middle of the 19th century, who seem likely candidates. Perhaps the most pausible is Arthur Jones of 135 St Stephen's Green, who exhibited extensively in London at the Great Exhibition 1851. At that time the majority of his work was in bog yew, involving intricate carving and natural forms but the variety of his work is demonstrated by his exhibits in New York in 1853, where he showed a giltwood table or in Dublin in 1865, for which he produced a pair of mahogany side tables. The tables reflect earlier Irish prototypes and a comparable 18th century table sold Sotheby's, London, 8 July 1994, lot 70.

An Irish mahogany artist's table circa 1750 the rectangular cleated hinged top with a moulded edge and shaped corners, the frieze drawer with a red velvet lined sliding panel centred by a hinged flap rising on a ratchet with open compartments below, the frieze centred by a carved chieftain mask and leaf scrolls, the sides with two pairs of opposing frieze drawers on four sinuous moulded cabriole legs carved at the knees with masks and 'C' scrolls, on claw and ball feet, with hairy feet	An Irish mahogany side table circa 1750 the rectangular moulded top with rounded front corners above a frieze fitted with three short drawers and with a shaped scroll and rope twist carved apron centred by a scallop shell, on C-scroll carved cabriole legs carved with shells and leaves ending in paw feet

An Important mid-18th century Irish yew-and burr-yew kneehole desk, c. 1750, with frieze drawer above vacant compartment with shelf flanked with three drawers to either side on later bracket feet, 37" (94cms)

An Irish Georgian mahogany silver table third quarter 18th century With its dished top and typically Irish spiked foliate scroll just above the squared lion paw foot it can be compared with another in the Mc Donnell Room at Malahide Castle, Co. Dublin (cf. Gerald Kenyon, The Irish Furniture at Malahide Castle, 1994, pp.90-91). A	An Irish mahogany silver table circa 1750 Rectangular top with an everted solid gallery, the bead-moulded frieze above a convex apron carved with opposing shelves, on cabriole legs with acanthus-carved knees and hairy paw feet 68 cm. high, 86 cm. wide, 54 cm. deep; 2 ft. 3 in., 2 ft. 9 in., 1 ft. 8 3/4 in.

This magnificent table contains the significant design elements of Irish Georgian craftsmanship: The hanging center shell, the elongated acanthus, the raised and carved sock, and the trifid foot. The original of this fine reproduction by Kindel for the Irish Georgian Society is the property of the Heaton family and is considered to be the quintessential Irish rococo tea table.
	18th century brass bound mahogany peat buckets or turf buckets


The original of this semi-elliptical table was designed by William Moore of Dublin, and is made of satinwood and kingwood. This table is an outstanding example of the remarkable Irish marquetry of the period.	A very fine pair of Irish plum mahogany crossbranded fold-over Tea Tables (Sold 17/10/2000) £11,000