A rare and historical George III mahogany ‘rent’ table dating from circa 1780 from the Broadmead family seat of Enmore Castle in Somerset, sold at auction today for £9,450 over double its pre-sale estimate. It was housed there in the private collection of decorated Captain Harold Hamilton Broadmead (1889-1954).
Captain Hamilton’s family were owners of Enmore Castle from the 1830s and Hamilton did much to restore and renovate it during his time there, particularly during the interwar years. The family also contributed to the local community and in 1929 Hamilton Broadmead was made High Sheriff of Somerset.
Professionally qualified as a barrister, Broadmead volunteered and received a commission in the Somerset Light Infantry during the Great War, initially serving in Burma at Meiktila, where he led the Taunton Company, which was assigned to guard a prisoner of war camp primarily holding Turkish captives. In 1917, he was deployed to the Northwest Frontier.
He remained after the Armistice and fought in the Third Afghan War, for which he was mentioned in dispatches as follows: “…. for distinguished service during the operations against Afghanistan by General Sir C. C. Monro, G.C.B., G.C.S.I., G.C.M.G., in his despatch dated 1st November, 1919.” He was awarded the Inner Temple War Commemorative Medal, the Defence Medal, British War medal 1914-20, Allied Victory medal 1914-19, India General Service medal 1908-35 and the Royal Humane Society Swimming Medal.
The ‘rent’ table from Enmore Castle offers us a peek into the financial and furniture history of the 18th and 19th centuries. These high quality, beautifully created circular tables were designed for landlords, estate managers and accountants to organize and keep track of tenants' rental payments. What makes them so fascinating is their hidden functionality, with many having a rotating top, like this one and with drawers labelled for different tenants or properties on the estate, allowing ease of accessibility to stored money and tenants records. This table has twelve twin lettered drawers inlaid with bone on an ebonised ground, as well as a clever cupboard built into its base for extra storage.
Commenting on the price achieved, Furniture specialist at Woolley & Wallis, Mark Yuan-Richards, said: “The exceptional craftsmanship on this table makes this a stand-out piece and I am not at all surprised that we saw competitive bidding for it today. It finally won out to a UK buyer, who I’m sure is delighted to have acquired an important part of furniture and social history”.
Rent tables were usually crafted from fine woods like mahogany or oak, this example being in mahogany. They feature a central pedestal and beautifully inlaid details, with a revolving drum top. Their practical yet elegant design made them a status symbol among estate owners, showcasing both wealth and efficiency in managing large properties. Today, surviving rent tables are rare and highly sought after by collectors, admired for their craftsmanship and historical significance. This outstanding example was sold in Woolley & Wallis’ Furniture and Collections sale today.
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