Regency Mahogany Pedestal Sideboard

This monumental English mahogany sideboard captures the luxury of the Regency era in grand style. Crafted in the Neoclassical taste, the sideboard evokes the stately forms of ancient Greek and Roman architecture in its beautifully proportioned form and expertly carved details. Its pedestal form would have ensured the smooth execution of even the most opulent dinner party. Extra bottles of wine were easily at hand in the cabinets, while drawers solved storage issues for dirtied plates and utensils. The extensive surface held large pieces of silver, providing a convenient serving place for formal or informal entertaining.

The Regency era historically refers to the nine-year period when King George III’s son, the Prince of Wales, ruled as his proxy from 1811 until 1820. Culturally, however, the distinctive style and romance of the Regency era lasted through to the Victorian era thanks to the influence of the future King George IV. Known for his extravagant lifestyle, he took an interest in fashion and design, becoming a ruler of taste and artistic influence. Thus, the Regency period was one of the most creative, inventive and expensive periods of English design, fueled and paid for by the rapid growth of industrialization in Western Europe. Wealthy patrons in England delighted in following the Prince’s eclectic taste for neoclassical design and a range of revival styles, including Gothic and Indian. The Regency era is considered by many to be the zenith of English cabinetmaking, and this sideboard is certainly a triumph of early 19th-century inventiveness. 

Circa 1820

42 1/2" high x 73 1/2" wide x 28" deep