This huge scale desk or library table has an unusual blend of the Aesthetic and the Neo-Norman. The assured
hand of the designer and the very apparent capability of the cabinetmaker, both currently unknown, have
created a very powerful piece of late 19th century design. If it were 50 years earlier, Thomas Hopper might be
the prime suspect. Perhaps our designer/maker was aware of his work at Penrhyn Castle.
The lock stamp gives an indication of a London maker, certainly a British maker. ‘Pfeil & Stedall’ changed its
trading name in 1867 to ‘Pfeil, Stedall & Son’ and in 1882 to ‘….& Sons’ These datelines seem appropriate to the
age of the desk’s manufacture.
