Christopher Clarke Antiques

Antique Campaign Dining Table

The Imperial Dining Table was designed by Gillows in 1804 and this mahogany, campaign version bears all the hallmarks of their workshops.  The table extends on an oak frame that acts as a bed to support the 3 additional leaves, which are then fixed with brass clips. Perhaps the best description of the design was made by Gillows themselves in 1829 We almost universally make them with the sliding frames and loose leaves to fit betwixt the two ends and any portion of them may be used together, they are firmer and less liable to be put out of order than any other plan …The oak telescopic frames extend from each end of the table and join by means of 2 thumb bolts. The turned legs are reeded and the brass caps to the top indicate that they unscrew to pack the table down in size. Susan Stuart discusses the Imperial Table at length in her book Gillows of Lancaster and London 1730 – 1840. As she notes, by the end of the 1820’s, although they still made a variety of tables they almost exclusively sold Imperials, such was the success of the design. When fully extended this table will sit 10 comfortably. Circa 1820.