OF COLLECTORS' INTEREST: A late George II carved mahogany drop-leaf table
1755-1760, the oval top above a plain arched frieze, on opposing C-scroll, rocaille and acanthus clasped cabriole legs with foliate scrolled ears, terminating in claw and ball feet, 54cm wide x 116cm deep x 74cm high, (21in wide x 45 1/2in deep x 29in high)
Footnotes:
Provenance
The present lot formerly belonged to Ralph Edwards C.B.E., F.S.A. (1894-1977), grandfather of the current owner and vendor.

A charming photograph showing Ralph Edwards with his wife Marjorie inside their London family home is available to view online. Therein they are pictured seated in their elegant drawing room inside Suffolk House on Chiswick Mall, located close to the Thames. Visible among the beautiful antiques and paintings is the George I giltwood and gilt gesso mirror which is lot 127 in this sale. A copy of this striking photograph is available upon request. A further image of Edwards whilst he was in Venice is also on our website.

The offered drop-leaf table is illustrated in R. Edwards and P. Macquoid, The Dictionary of English Furniture, Vol. III, the revised and enlarged edition by R. Edwards, 2000, New York, fig. 26, p. 220. It is even noted in the Dictionary as being 'from Mr Ralph Edwards' and is dated therein to circa 1750.

Ralph Edwards
Although principally renowned for The Dictionary of English Furniture, his most influential book first published in the period 1924-1927, Ralph Edwards was also an art historian, academic, connoisseur, author and collector within various fields of the fine and decorative arts. His genuinely eclectic yet thorough knowledge included, but was not limited to, subjects as diverse as: European paintings, watercolours, Hogarth, Old Master drawings, bronze sculpture, needleworks, porcelain, silver and English miniatures. Nonetheless his foremost area of expertise was undoubtedly in English furniture.

Following his involvement in World War I, and despite successfully completing the necessary professional legal examinations, Ralph Edwards joined Country Life magazine as a member of their editorial team, where he remained for five years. The motivations behind this career-defining decision are a mystery, however as Nicholas Goodison writes in his superb 1978 obituary it was clear that on this occasion:

'...art history gained what the law lost.'
N. Goodison, 'Obituary, Ralph Edwards', The Burlington Magazine, May 1978, Vol. 120, No. 902, 'Special Issue Devoted to the Victoria and Albert Museum', p. 316.

Throughout 1924 and 1925, Edwards continued in this capacity at Country Life at the same time as working closely with Percy Macquoid (1852-1925) on compiling and creating what would thereafter become their seminal work, The Dictionary of English Furniture. Only one year later, Edwards took up the position of Assistant in the Department of Woodwork at the Victoria and Albert Museum, eventually being promoted to Keeper of that Department in 1937. In total he would retain this significant role for seventeen years until retiring, albeit apparently somewhat reluctantly, in 1954.

During his tenure as Keeper at the Victoria and Albert, Ralph produced a number of books and articles concerning furniture, typically with particular attention to the history of English furniture. Arguably among the most notable of these were; a brief analysis of English chairs in the museum collection; Georgian Cabinet-Makers, which he assembled together with Margaret Jourdain in 1944; and the three volume revised edition of 'The Dictionary', eventually published in 1954. In his obituary on Edwards, Nicholas Goodison brilliantly encapsulated his primary achievement as Keeper in the Department of Woodwork:

'In this role he [Edwards] did a great deal to raise the study of furniture from an inconspicuous to an important branch of the decorative arts.'
N. Goodison, Ibid, p. 316.

In spite of his retirement from the Victoria and Albert, that same year Ralph Edwards started to accept employment - essentially as a kind of senior consultant - with the Historic Buildings Councils of England and Wales. His invaluable aiding of these Councils lasted a staggering twenty-one years. At the same time, Edwards' output of publications persisted and this is exemplified by; the appearance in 1955 of the third version of Georgian Cabinet-Makers; a 1963 condensed single volume edition of his by then widely celebrated 'Dictionary'; and an almost continual provision of furniture-related articles. Added to this, for two years Ralph Edwards assisted in the editing process for the Connoisseur Period Guides (1956-1958). Yet, regardless of this huge workload he was always available to aid the Arts Council and other official bodies whenever requested or required to do so.

Aside from this specialist study in the realm of furniture, it is incredible to consider that Edwards was additionally responsible for literature on an assortment of other visual arts topics. For example he finished Early Conversation Pieces in 1954 which was a survey of the progression of what are generally referred to as 'conversation paintings', beginning in the medieval period and concluding with examples from the early 18th century.

Evidently over the last two decades of his life there was much less focusing on the study of furniture which allowed his wide-ranging proficiency in many of the other decorative arts to flourish. Though it is difficult to know whether this was an intentional move away from his main specialism, it was perhaps inevitable given the nature of his involvement with the Historic Buildings Council and the National Museum of Wales. Edwards' participation with both of these groups led him to investigate virtually all manner of artefacts. Over the course of the twelve years prior to his death in 1977 he also formed a fundamental part of the advisory panel for The Burlington Magazine.

Overall, Ralph Edwards' enormous influence on the way in which serious art historical research has been, and continues to be, undertaken is not something that can be easily overstated. Ralph was one of the earliest scholars to confirm factual information pertaining to objects by means of uncovering sources contemporary to them. In this process he was instrumental in bringing to the public consciousness numerous craftsmen, makers and artists, ranging from those who had fallen into complete obscurity to more major and more widely known figures.

This was the technique pursued with regards to both The Dictionary of English Furniture and Georgian Cabinet-Makers, despite claims that he later opined that there had become too much emphasis upon the analysis of historical letters and invoices. It is alleged that his subsequent view was that this strict and narrow approach had caused furniture history to become too dry and mundane an affair, possibly more akin to a lifeless regurgitation of old account books than a true labour of love. However it is not clear to what extent he believed this had already happened.

An exceptional memory for country houses and their contents meant that Ralph Edwards was almost always able to accurately date a work of art or object, and more often than not suggest an attribution to a certain artist or maker where relevant and possible. His natural affinity for British and European history, allied to his supreme level of connoisseurship, has meant that even today he maintains his position among the very highest echelons of academia within the broad domain that is art history.

Literature
N. Goodison, 'Obituary, Ralph Edwards', The Burlington Magazine, May 1978, Vol. 120, No. 902, 'Special Issue Devoted to the Victoria and Albert Museum', p. 316 & 319.
This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TP
TP Lot will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.
For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

The tops of the legs have been extended to accommodate what appear to be later side rails - this is not uncommon as often the side rails being made of beech are usually heavily worm eaten and the knuckle joints which operate the gateleg action are worn out.
Repair and crack to the inside lower third of one leg.