Height: 28³/₈ in (72 cm)
Width: 60⁵/₈ in (154 cm)
Depth: 29⁷/₈ in (76 cm)
A pair of near identical rosewood sofa tables were supplied by Gillows of Oxford Street to Stephen Tempest of Broughton Hall in 1803. They were invoiced as '....2 large rosewood sofa tables with drawers in do. and on claw & castors 14 gns. 29-8-0d'.
It was at the beginning of the 19th century that Gillows introduced a new design of table, specifically to be placed behind a sofa. In 1801 they advised their client Lady Gardiner of Clerk Hill 'the most fashionable form now used are what we call sofa tables' and enclosed a sketch which showed how 'the 2 leaves fall down like a Pembroke table'. In July 1801 Gillows included the first sofa table in their Estimate Sketch Book. Sofa tables could be adapted to suit many needs, as games, tea or writing tables. The fitted knobs were supplied in either ivory, exotic woods or brass.
Susan E. Stuart, Gillows of Lancaster and London 1730 - 1840, pp. 264-265, pl. 268-169