A mid Victorian mahogany library table of long proportions by Howard and Sons Circa 1880, in the Chippendale Director style The gilt tooled leather inset top with a carved interlaced ribbon and foliate pattern edge, above three rosette and ribbon panel moulded fielded and mahogany lined drawers, on part foliate stop-fluted and part reeded square tapering legs terminating in acanthus carved feet, stamped: 'HOWARD & SONS LTD., BERNERS ST.' and with an ivorine plaque which reads: 'HOWARD & SONS LTD., 25, 26, 27 BERNERS ST., LONDON, W', 214cm wide x 84cm deep x 76.5cm high, (84in wide x 33in deep x 30in high) Footnotes: John Howard originally established his company at 24 Lemon Street in 1820. By the early 1850s he was established in the heart of the West End, operating principally from Berners street. The firm grew to become one of the most fashionable and successful of the 19th century, participating in many of the International Exhibitions for the remainder of the century, including the most famous and first - the Great Exhibition of 1851. Howard and Sons were commissioned to provide furniture for numerous notable clients and such beautiful houses as Sudbury Hall in Derbyshire, Elton Hall, Huntingdonshire and Stokesay Court, Shropshire. Still fashionable at the close of the century, in 1893 the enterprise even provided the fittings for Mr Vanderbilt's yacht. It is documented that in 1847 John Howard and Sons, which at that point employed twenty-two people, was registered at 22 Berners street. But, by 1853, the business had grown so much as to include 26 Berners street, and subsequently in 1866 they are recorded as being based from 26-27. Then by 1871 the firm appear to have had working addresses at 36 Cleveland street, Fitzroy Square and latterly in Tottenham street, operating alongside their main location, by that time, of 25-27 Berners street, www.bifmo.furniturehistory society.org This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TP TP For auctions held in Scotland: Lots will be moved to an offsite storage location (Constantine, Constantine House, North Caldeen Road, Coatbridge ML5 4EF, Scotland, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue and/or after-sale information, sent out to all buyers post-sale. For all other auctions: Lots will be moved to an offsite storage location (The Packengers, Unit 9, Abbey Mead Industrial Park, Brooker Road, Waltham Abbey, EN9 1HU, England, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue and/or after-sale information, sent out to all buyers post-sale. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 10 calendar days from the auction date. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing