A Very Pretty c.1860-80 Ebonised & Chinoiserie Decorated Twig Table

Object Description

The rather rare Mid-Victorian occasional twig table having an ebony and gold chinoiserie decorated vellum(?) top on an ebonised naturalistic twig work support, the whole surviving from mid-Victorian England.

Object History

Unknown.

Object Literature

Flower and plant collecting was popular in the mid-Victorian period especially with albums containing botanical specimens from flowers to seaweed and algae specimens. Furniture also became ‘naturalised’ with some rustic twists on regular household furniture items. Even so they weren’t made in huge quantities and so they are quite rare survivors and when one does see period twig furniture it is rarely ebonised. We have also never seen an example with a chinoiserie inset to it.

The fine art of chinoiserie has been in existence since the 17th century, and it depicts Chinese style designs applied to furniture, ceramics and fabrics. Chinoiserie is wonderfully beautiful, and tends to depict realistic and fictitious animals, insects, people, foliage, structures and various other elaborate Asian designs that can be incorporated into a number of decorating themes which it does here.

A scarce and wonderfully decorative example of imaginative Victorian furniture.

Object Condition

The table remains in good overall condition. There is one area of loss to the edging to the top but the rest is in tact. The top is still beautiful and remains in decent order with one small tear to the fabric, which is akin to vellum in texture. There is wear and surface patina and dirt to the twig legs and stretchers but only that commensurate with age. The piece is lightweight, naturally, and it remains structurally very sound though would not be able to bear large or heavy items.

Object Details