A Samuel Martin of London is listed in Christopher Gilbert’s Marked London Furniture (where the table is illustrated) although a similar table is described in The Dictionary of English Furniture Makers 1660-1840 carrying the backplate New invented dining tables by Martin & Smith of Norwich. Setting a house record for furniture at Sworders, it sold to one of five telephone bidders for £63,000 (plus 15% buyer’s premium).
Mahogany dining table makes £63,000
Consigned to Sworders by a dealer who had bought it when clearing a London office, this George III patent extending mahogany dining table created a massive amount of interest when offered by the Stansted Mountfitchet auctioneers on September 9. “When it arrived it was so obviously a good thing,” said specialist Guy Schooling who found two potential candidates for the maker, S. Martin, whose name and the inscription Invenit et Fecit appeared on a brass plaque applied to the base.
