A spectacular pair of Irish George II side tables sold for a price believed to be around the high hundreds of thousands of pounds at Masterpiece today. Described as the 1st Earl of Aldeborough tables they were on the stand of Mayfair antique dealers Ronald Phillips, where they were quickly snapped up at the Masterpiece preview in London. The fast sale of these spellbinding tables is a welcome shot in the arm for the Irish furniture market as it shows that top Irish pieces can hold their own with the best in the world. Masterpiece, though only in its fifth year in 2014, is one of the most prestigious international fairs in the world. The attendance today included celebrities, royals and the most discreetly wealthy people. Today is the Masterpiece preview. The fair proper, with 158 stands and specialists from around the world, gets underway tomorrow and continues until July 2.
These tables are among the most expensive pieces of Irish furniture ever sold. The precise price is not disclosed as this is a private sale. An Irish cabinet is believed to have made in the region of £2.5 million in a private sale a few years ago.
One of the Irish c1755 tables at Ronald Phillips.
An image showing the leg.
A detail of the table, made in the style of William Kent.