Earlier this year these pier tables and glasses which form part of Chippendale’s important Harewood commission were allocated to the Victoria and Albert Museum under a scheme in which owners can offer treasures in lieu of inheritance tax. Thanks to this scheme they will now remain on display in the Robert Adam-designed Music Room at Harewood; the room for which they were originally created.
The gilded tables supplied circa 1771, with their exquisite marquetry tops clearly reflect the outstanding quality of Chippendale’s work at Harewood; a commission that was one of the most lavish of his career.
It is reported that the suite will now undergo a programme of conservation by the Victoria & Albert museum which will see the gilding and surface finish restored closer to Chippendale’s original intention. We hope to report further with information on this work in due course.