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Antelope Table

Table
1987 (designed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This table takes its name from the cast aluminium legs that look like the rear legs of an antelope. The third leg is made of turned sycamore and together the legs make a contemporary version of a traditional tripod. The designer was Matthew Hilton, who produced many such zoomorphic designs in the late 1980s. He originally designed this table for a private client who had seen some of his cast aluminium candlesticks and wanted a piece of furniture with the same character.

SCP Ltd, a London-based manufacturer of progressive furniture design, made this example. The lustrous dark-stained top is in fact made of MDF, a cheap and readily available material. However, combined with the sparkling metal legs and the polished stainless steel insert, the inexpensive top makes the table look very luxurious.


Object details

Category
Object type
TitleAntelope Table (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Stained MDF, stainless steel insert, turned sycamore, cast aluminium
Brief description
Tripod table, of cast aluminium, turned sycamore and stained MDF, designed by Matthew Hilton, 1987
Physical description
Circular table with a stained MDF top with a stainless steel disk inserted in the centre, and a tripod pedestal base constructed from a single angled sycamore leg piercing a cast aluminium form suggestive of the rear legs of an antelope.
Dimensions
  • Height: 710mm
  • Diameter: 840mm
Measured from the object
Gallery label
  • Collecting for the Future Table Designed by Matthew Hilton (British) Manufactured by SCP Ltd, London MDF Top, stainless steel insert, sycamore leg, aluminium legs 1987 This table was collected to represent the renaissance of British furniture during the past decade, in particualr the work of a rising young designer, as well as one of the few British manufacturers devoted to developing and producing progressive furniture. The original design of this table resulted from a provate commission by a client who had seen a recent Hilton candlestick design and wanted the same feeling in a piece of furniture. Rethinking and refinement were required to make it suitable to larger scale production although much handwork is still required. Purchased with assistance of the manufacturer for £300(1990)
  • Temporary label for Gallery 103-106 Table Designed by Matthew Hilton (British) MDF top, stainless steel insert, sycamore leg, aluminium legs Manufactured by SCP Ltd, London 1987 Collected to represent the renaissance of British furniture during the 1980s, in particular the work of a rising young designer, as well as one of the few British manufacturers devoted to developingt and producing progressive furniture. W.17-1990(1990)
Credit line
Purchased with the assistance of the manufacturer
Summary
This table takes its name from the cast aluminium legs that look like the rear legs of an antelope. The third leg is made of turned sycamore and together the legs make a contemporary version of a traditional tripod. The designer was Matthew Hilton, who produced many such zoomorphic designs in the late 1980s. He originally designed this table for a private client who had seen some of his cast aluminium candlesticks and wanted a piece of furniture with the same character.

SCP Ltd, a London-based manufacturer of progressive furniture design, made this example. The lustrous dark-stained top is in fact made of MDF, a cheap and readily available material. However, combined with the sparkling metal legs and the polished stainless steel insert, the inexpensive top makes the table look very luxurious.
Collection
Accession number
W.17-1990

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Record createdAugust 17, 2005
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