A rare walnut centre table attributed to A.W.N. Pugin, one of only a handful of pieces stamped with the distinguished furniture maker’s initials, is to be sold at Bonhams, New Bond Street as part of its Fine English Furniture and Works of Art sale on 16 June 2010.
Coming to Bonhams from a private collection, there are only two other versions of this table in oak known – one in a private collection, and the other in the collection of the Cheltenham Museum and Art Gallery. It has attracted a pre-sale estimate of £3,000 – 5,000.
Having trained under his father, Augustus Charles Pugin, a French architect, Pugin went to work for furniture makers Morel & Seddon when he was fifteen, designing Gothic furniture for Windsor Castle. He was later employed by Sir Charles Barry to work on the new Parliament buildings in London, following the destruction by fire of the Palace of Westminster in 1834. Other projects for which he is renowned include Leighton Hall in Powys and St Augustine’s Grange in Ramsgate. Pugin’s architectural firm was continued after his death by his two sons E.W. Pugin and Peter Paul Pugin under the name Pugin and Pugin.
Other important lots include a beautifully crafted George III mahogany purplewood and rosewood commode, attributed to Gillows (estimate £40,000 – 60,000); a George III mahogany and marquetry what-not bought from Stuart and Turner (estimate £4,000 – 6,000); and several pieces of Regency furniture from a deceased Holland Park property ranging from giltwood footstools (estimate £1,200 – 1,800) to a pair of parcel gilt sofas (estimate £5,000 – 7,000).