A very fine late 18th century George III Sheraton period D-shaped padouk and burr yew card table 

English, circa 1790

The hinged D-shaped foldover top with boxwood stringing and fustic banding, above a burr-yew inlaid frieze, on four tapering conformingly inlaid collared legs with double gateleg action at the back.

The superb quality of the present table and choice of exotic veneers relate it to the oeuvre of the Golden Square firm of Ince and Mayhew. Geometric inlays on the frieze and legs are made in burr yew-wood, 'the only wholly idiosyncratic veneer wood the firm used and possibly unique to Mayhew and Ince among London cabinet-makers of this date' (P. Macquoid & R.Edwards, The Dictionary of English Furniture Makers 1660-1840, Leeds, 1986, pp. 589-593). They supplied a yew-wood veneered commode to Sir Brook Bridges of Goodnestone Park, Kent, that was exhibited in Treasures from Kent Houses, Royal Museum, Canterbury, September - October 1984, no. 57