I’ve made no secret of my love for Regency period furniture, and these quartetto tables are just one more reason to be excited about the style. They’re absolutely brilliant. The proportions are particularly appealing on these tables, they seem to fit together with such precision. The arched support near the legs is also very nice, but the most exciting aspect is clearly the burl or burr yew tabletop. Burl is essentially the grain from a diseased, bulbous growth on a tree and while it isn’t healthy for the tree, it results in quite beautiful wood. It is rare in all cases, but exceedingly difficult to find in yew trees, so quite a luxury indeed. Be sure to use a coaster while resting your glass of Armagnac on top. Available until March 25th as Lot 103 in the Three Woods: A Passion for Walnut, Oak & Yew The John Parry Collection at Christie’s King Street Office in London. The entire auction is actually quite exciting and I’ll be featuring a number of lots coming on the block over the next few days. Those who have the time should look through the entire catalogue.
