Early 19th Century Antique Extending Mahogany Dining Table Made By Gillows Of Lancaster and London

Very fine quality early nineteenth century antique dining table made by Gillows of Lancaster and London. This is a very versatile table, having the ability to extend to over twelve feet long while also having five different length options by the removal of one or more leaves until it becomes circular. In addition to this, a great aspect of the Gillows "Imperial Mechanism" is that the two ends separate from each other and can be displayed as a pair of console tables in case the dining room is needed for something else. This also makes the table a lot easier to carry from room to room or even outside if required. Another benefit is that the table could be extended a little further by the addition of another leaf without damage to the table mechanism. The legs are the classic Gillows reeded leg with V shape to the base ending in a brass cap and caster. There are many images in the Gillows sketch books of this leg design. There are at least three stamps on the underside of the table with the mark "GILLOWS - LANCASTER". This is one of the finest tables of the period made by probably the top maker in the country out of the finest cuts of mahogany available.

This table has been restored using traditional polish and natural beeswax to create a good deep shine while retaining the golden brown colour. The timber itself is a very fine cut of mahogany with the grain matching across all surfaces. The leaves are the original ones and the screws line up on the brass clip retainers. There is a built in box in the mechanism to store the brass clips that hold the table together.