George III Pembroke Table attributed to Ince & Mayhew

This extraordinary George III-period Pembroke table by London cabinetmakers Ince & Mayhew displays the understated sophistication of the late Georgian era. The surface of the table — including both the central panel and the signature Pembroke hinged flaps — is beautifully detailed with satinwood marquetry, inlaid with a fan medallion and foliate motifs executed with the greatest precision and craftsmanship. The table is set upon slender, tapering legs. The design is indicative of the rising influence of and interest in Neoclassical patterns, favoring motifs from nature or Classical antiquity over the extravagance of the Rococo style.

William Ince and John Mayhew joined their skills as furniture designers and cabinetmakers, opening a firm together on Broad Street in 1759. Over the next forty years, the duo would execute many commissions, and develop a volume of engraved designs entitled The Universal System of Household Furniture — an effort to compete with the success of Thomas Chippendale's Director. The firm's output is often described as a balance between Chippendale's heavy constructions and Hepplewhite's slender forms, frequently utilizing natural colored woods embellished with inlay and engravings. Those stylistic signatures are present in this Pembroke table, placing it as an excellent example of the cabinetmakers' timeless aesthetics.

Circa 1790

28 1/8" high x 30" wide x 39 3/8" deep