The Londonderry Table top Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2014. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £542,500
The very first lot at Christies The Exceptional Sale at Christie’s in London on July 10 is The Londonderry Table Top. The property of the late 9th Marquess of Londonderry is being sold by order of the executors. The Italian pietre dura table top dating to Rome c1800 is attributed to Giacomo Raffaelli (1753-1830). Among several works by Raffaelli at The Hermitage in St. Petersburg are three table tops close in style to the Londonderry example. Raffaelli’s reputation was already well established in Europe in the late 18th century.
The table top was part of the furnishings for the magnificent interiors created by Charles Vane, later 3rd Marquess of Londonderry, for his London home on Park Lane. He was British Ambassador to the Viennese Court from 1815 until his inheritance from his half brother, the 2nd Marquess and famed Foreign Secretary Lord Castlereagh, who committed suicide in 1822. The table top, on a statuary white marble ground inlaid with agates, jaspers and carnelians of various types, is inlaid with three oystered agate planels and two large discs with rectangular borders. It is estimated at £150,000-250,000.
(See post on antiquesandartireland.com for June 17, 2014).