Pembroke Table
c. 1790 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Pembroke tables (with flaps supported on brackets) are first recorded in bills and inventories in the mid-18th century. They were used for light meals and were universally useful. This table, with its satinwood veneer, illustrates the taste for lighter-coloured woods which came into high favour from the late 1780s.
Object details
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| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 3 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Oak, veneered with satinwood, tulipwood and other woods, with handles of brass. |
| Brief description | A pembroke table of satinwood, with marquetry of various woods, the table top oval in shape when extended and inlaid with oval wreaths of flowers. |
| Physical description | Satinwood table with banding of tulipwood and marquetry of various woods, on a carcase of oak, cedar and softwood. Oval top with flaps supported by swinging brackets. Single drawer in the frame, dummy drawer on the opposite side. Brass knobs. The top veneered with satinwood and inlaid with two addorsed ovals and wreaths of flowers and foliage, each enclosing a flower-like medallion. The join between flap and central panel exactly bisects each medallion. A half-medallion is also inlaid on the shorter sides of the central panel. A wide satinwood cross-banding runs around the border. The drawer-fronts are inlaid with floral scrolls stained green. Straight legs of square section end in brass casters with leather-covered rollers. |
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| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | Given in memory of Lady B.R. F. Henriques |
| Object history | This table was purchase with monies donated in memory of Lady Henriques, widow of Sir Philip Gutterez Henriques (1867-1950), barrister and Civil Servant. Their only son Philip was killed in action in 1915 and from 1930 Lady Henriques was seeking to leave pieces from her collection of furniture to both the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, and the V&A (see Nominal File MA/1/H1634). Two large bookcases in the bequest were declined by the V&A on account of their size. The residuary legatee, a nephew of Lady Henriques, donated £200 to be used to buy a piece related to her collection (which spanned the years 1790-1820 and included several pieces in satinwood). This table was purchased from the antique dealer Gerald Kern Ltd, 15 Davies Street, Berkeley Square, for £215 (see same Nominal File) |
| Summary | Pembroke tables (with flaps supported on brackets) are first recorded in bills and inventories in the mid-18th century. They were used for light meals and were universally useful. This table, with its satinwood veneer, illustrates the taste for lighter-coloured woods which came into high favour from the late 1780s. |
| Bibliographic reference | Tomlin, Maurice, Catalogue of Adam Period Furniture (London: HMSO for the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1972) cat. no. S/1, p. 152 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | W.6:1-1959 |
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| Record created | January 25, 2001 |
| Record URL |
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