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Billiard room The World's mosT desiraBle Billiard TaBles and accessorie s

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Billiard roomThe World's mosT desiraBle Billiard

TaBles and accessories

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This striking full size (12ft) Victorian table was made for James Blyth,1st Baron Blyth (1841-1925) for 33 Portland Place, London. It isveneered in ebony with openwork gilt-wood panels applied to thesides and boldly carved and gilded acanthus leaf scrolls on thecorners. The panels are filled with small and large circular guillocheenclosing flower-heads with ebony centres and the lower borders arebright cut with fans of trefoils. The fluting on the tapering legs aregilded as are the acanthus leaf caps on the feet. Bearing a maker’slabel Cox & Yeman, Billiard Table Manufacturers, 209A BromptonRoad, London. english, circa 1895.

Footnote:James Blyth, Ist Baron Blyth, 1841-1925 was a party loving andphilanthropic millionaire who created his wealth by founding thefamous gin distillers, W A Gilbey & sons. he bought No33 PortlandPlace, a Robert Adam house built in 1775 for Lord henry Wyndham,in 1893 bought it. A man of great energy and innovation he carriedout numerous improvements to the property including ‘a remarkableVictorian extension, which included a stained glass billiard room. Healso introduced some ingenious innovations such as a hydraulic wall,which separated the dining room from the music room. The ambitiousdesign, which still exists in its original form, was powered by a waterpump system concealed in the basement.’ It is presumed that thestained-glass billiard room was built to house this impressive table

The LORd JAMes BLyTh TABLe Built by Cox & Yeman

We established Billiard Room Limited in 1993 and have been regularexhibitors at the London Olympia Fine Art & Antique Fairs for morethan 10 years.

Our ethos of finding the World’s most desirable Billiard tables andaccessories, and restoring them to impeccable original conditioncontinues to be our primary objective.

Last year’s catalogue coincided with the inaugural Masterpiece Fairand was exceptionally well received. It featured “The Queen VictoriaGolden Jubilee Billiard Table” which has since found a new home equalto its historical importance.

This year we have sourced some exceptional Billiard tables andassociated accessories, which are illustrated in the forthcoming pages,many pieces have their own unique provenance.

Additionally we have evolved to meet the demands of modernrequirements, resulting in an ability to manufacture exquisite contemporary Billiard tables, creating classics for the 21st century.

We continue to offer a very personal service, from initial point of saleto organizing delivery and final set up, recently we have overseen tableInstallations in Morocco, Germany and singapore.

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James Blyth, 1st Baron BLyTh 1841-1925 (Agriculturalist)Photograph by: sir Benjamin stone1909 Platinum Print

Collection: National Portrait Gallery

Cox and Yemen Mr henry Cox and Mr edward yeman joined forces at some time in the1850s to form their own billiard table company. It would seem thatMr Cox was already building tables but needed the expertise of Mryeman and his sister who were trained by Burroughes and Wattsstuffing cushions and making holland covers respectively. By 1864they were fully fledged manufacturers of billiard tables and suppliedspecially made competition tables for the 1866 Oxford vs Cambridgematch, dufton’s ‘Great handicap’ and the hotly contested Roberts andCook championships. By 1873 the company was located at 184Brompton Road and lists over fifty titled gentleman as customersincluding: The duke of Richmond, The duke of Wellington, the earl ofJersey, the Nwab Nizam of Bengal, h.M. the King of siam, Chas.dickens and ‘the London Clubs’. In 1876 yeman left the partnershipbut Cox carried on under the same name. In 1902 ‘his Majesty theshah of Persia, ordered two billiard tables from Messrs. Cox andyeman. The tables were made of mahogany, with carved legs andfitted with this firm’s well-known low cushion. during the shah’s tourhe stayed at the Royal Palace hotel, Ostend, and at the elysee Palacehotel, in Paris, both of these magnificent hotels have billiard tablesfitted by Cox and yeman.’ Always innovative Cox patented severalproducts from ‘simplex’ Combined Billiard and dining Tables, InvisiblePocket Plates, ‘Multum-in-Parvo’ rosettes and ‘Ovalex tables, a daintyarrangement in curving and rectangular cushions.’ however, despitethese novelties and sponsoring challenge matches, Cox and yemanwent into receivership in 1908 and were finally bought out by Messrs.Burroughes and Watts in 1011.

A Full size Table by Gillows of Lancaster and London

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This superb quality mahogany full size (12 foot) table is thequintessence of Gillows craftsmanship. The rectangular top is setupon eight tapering turned and reeded legs. The restraineddecoration of turned bosses to the sides and elegant reeding to theedges accentuates the wonderful colour of the wood. signed Gillows.english circa 1820.

Footnote:In Gillows of Lancaster and London 1730-1840, Woodbridge, 2008,Vol.I p421-2 susan stuart devotes a chapter to billiard and ‘trou-madame’ tables and includes a drawing and photograph of a latertable with reeded legs and a timber bed made for James howard in1833. The earliest Gillows tables appeared in London in 1768 andwere instantly so successful that they probably encouraged ThomasGillow to establish a shop in Oxford street. By 1770 the Gillowbrothers claimed that few could equal them in the trade. As well asthe traditional solid table they manufactured two types of portabletable, this was before the invention of slate beds! Other early featuresincluded hoop shaped pockets, alluding to the very earliest form ofbilliards from the 1680s when billiards was essentially indoor croquet,and lint-stuffed cushions which were purely to contain the ball ratherthan provide a bounce.

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A Billiard Marker by Gillows

This mahogany marker or scoreboard has a rectangular panel with twoslides, peg boards and spots marked out in a paler inlaid wood, allwithin a reeded frame with two stretchers supported on outswept feetwith brass castors. signed in a painted cartouche, Gillows London andLancaster, english, circa 1815.

height: 59¾ in; 152cmWidth: 34in; 68cmdepth: 14in; 35cm

Footnote:In Gillows of Lancaster and London 1730-1840, Woodbridge, 2008,Vol.I p423 susan stuart shows a very similar scorer with an angledboard described thus; “the marker was made in mahogany inlaid witha lighter regular close-grained wood, possibly orangewood. The words‘GILLOWs LONdON and LANCAsTeR’ are carefully painted, not inlaid,on to an oval cartouche. (ibid plate 525(b))”. It is interesting to notethat the markers stop at 24; this is because the early form of the gameconsisted of many short but quick frames, which may also explain theuse of the peg board above to keep track of the number of games.

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The shaped, paneled legs of this handsome solid oak billiard table areadorned with pendant husks hanging from an acanthus leaf. Thesturdy side frame is decorated with a beaded edge and a Vitruvianscroll border and the cushion friezes are embellished with acontinuous band of crisply carved acanthus. The maker’s plaque issubtly concealed behind one of the sliding panels adjoining thecushion frieze. stamped Thurston. Circa 1900.

Footnote:John Thurston (1777-1850) was an apprentice cabinetmaker at Gillowsof Lancaster’s London branch (see p20 for further information on thisfirm). In 1799 he established his own company and specialized inbilliard tables and associated billiard room furniture , by 1814, at hispremised in Catherine street, strand, London. One of his most famoustables was that supplied to Longwood house on st. helena, which wasused by Napoleon during his exile after the Battle of Waterloo.In 1826 an innovative John Thurston introduced the first slate bed ona billiard table and supplied it to “White's Club” in 1832. he waspromptly granted the Royal Warrant to his Majesty King George IV,followed in 1833 by that of his Majesty King William IV and finally herMajesty Queen Victoria (1837) on the completion of a table forWindsor Castle.In 1835 Thurston introduced the use of India rubber and laterVulcanized rubber for the Billiard table cushion, this was a hugelyimportant improvement and completely changed ball response,previously the cushions had been stuffed with many layers of feltpadding. After his death in 1850 the company continued to flourishand won a Gold medal at the Great exhibition of 1851.Re-development meant re-location to Cheyne Walk sometime in the1890s; a prestigious showroom and match rooms were opened atLeicester square in 1901 and another branch in Cape Town, southAfrica. In addition to the honour of further Royal Warrants bestowedin the 20th century, important architects and designers, for exampleCharles Voysey, Frank Brangwyn and William Morris, were encouragedto design Thurston tables and many famous writers including Charlesdickens, sir Arthur Conan doyle and JB Priestly described them in theirnovels.

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A scoring Cabinet and Cue standby Thurston of London

This impressive, freestanding cabinet in solid oak is a combinationscorer for Billiards, snooker and Life Pool, with a decorative carvedpediment featuring an abundance of fruits above revolving numbersand ebony pointers which are used to score the games of Billiards orsnooker.hand lettered panels with ivory bosses formed around a central slatepanel reveal hidden boxwood and ebony ‘stars” which mark the gameof Life Pool. A glazed ball compartment with a hinged door and acarved foliate stepped edge compliments the lower supportingsection, which consists of acanthuas carved bracket feet below anoctagonal faced upright adorned with bosses and scalloped rings, alljoined by a turned and sculpted central stretcher. Circa 1850.

scorer: height: 63¾ in; 161cmWidth: 44in; 127cmdepth at feet: 17¼ in; 44cm

The matching, revolving Billiard cue carousel in oak has a central brasssupport surmounted by an acanthus carved decorative finial set abovethe top circular pierced rack fitted with the original brass and ivoryclips for cue retention. The lower revolving circular section has acarved edge and cloth lined recessed receptacles, all mounted on threeout swept scrolled paw feet.

Cue Rack:height: 48¼ in; 122cmdiameter of feet: 17in; 43.2cm

Footnote:For more information on John Thurston of London see page previouspage.

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This exceptionally well-made pocket (8ft x 4ft) billiard table in solidoak is raised on four gadrooned, turned and acanthus carved legsbelow the stepped side frames. each mitered corner supports a carvedcorbel beneath a paneled frame. The legs have an integral adjustablethread, ensuring accurate leveling. In addition two nickel platedscorers are fitted to each end of the cushions. stamped DorfelderMainze???. date???

Length: 99in; 251cmWidth: 55¾ in; 141cmheight: 32½ in; 82.5cm

Footnote:J. B. dorfelder were established in Mainz Germany sometime duringthe 1860s, they specialized in the manufacture of high quality billiardtables, intricately turned ivory billiard balls and decorative cue racks.

They soon became world renowned and won medals of recognition atvarious exhibitions including Melbourne 1888/9 and stuttgart 1897.

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This full size mahogany billiard table is supported on eight massivelobed and turned legs. The paneled side frames are embellished withgadrooned mouldings, fan shape carvings and corbel brackets. Thedecorative cushion friezes compliment the frame and the table is fittedwith patent “eureka steel Vacuum Cushions”. The original maker’splaque is fitted to the end of the table. Circa 1902.

Footnote:William Burroughes founded this firm, which would become one of themost famous english billiard table manufacturers, in partnership withF. Watts in 1836. William learnt his trade with Thurston's, and set uphis new business at 19 soho square, London. From the start they wereat the forefront of billiard table development and received a goldmedal at the Great exhibition of 1851, with a similar award beingreceived at the subsequent London exhibition of 1862. In 1854 Jamessamuel Burroughes joined the firm and it was under his stewardshipthat the company experienced its greatest development.By1860 they were making a modest 150 full-sized tables a year, butby the end of this decade production had doubled, the business nowlooked for expansion away from London and in the early 1870s theyopened branches in dublin and Belfast. Walter Buttery became apartner and is credited with the invention of the "steel-block" cushionand the "eureka Vacuum Cushion" (fitted to the table illustrated). In1873 the company secured a major contract for billiard tables to "herMajesty's War department and Admiralty" and around the same timereceived the warrant of Queen Victoria and edward, Prince of Wales.In 1875 they opened their London match-room in dean street. Thissubsequently moved to soho square in 1902, and would be the venuefor many famous encounters, which are now part of billiards history.Provincial showrooms and offices had been established in Manchester,and expansion increased with agencies established in Australia andNew Zealand. Over the years Burroughes and Watts absorbed otherwell-known companies such as Cox & yeman and Orme & son butfinally ceased trading in 1967.

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The Kinross house CueCarousel and scoring cabinet

This imposing wall mounted cabinet in solid oak, by Burroughes &Watts of London , is a scorer for Billiards, snooker and Life Pool. Thebroken pediment is surmounted by a central gadrooned finial abovean egg and dart stepped cornice. A central revolving double sidedslate /mirror panel is flanked by lettered sliding panels with ivorybosses which move to reveal hidden boxwood and ebony ‘stars’ tomark the game of Life Pool, while revolving number bars which rotatefrom 1-100 have ivory reeded markers. The base comprises a ballstorage compartment with a glazed and hinged door, complete withlockable drawers for stake holding and retrieval.

scorer:height: 64¾ in; 164cmWidth: 44in; 111cmdepth at shelf: 8½ in; 21.6cm

The revolving billiard cue carousel in solid figured oak, also byBuroughes & Watts, has gadrooned finials above a tri-form top withthe original ivory clips for cue retention. The central fluted column isflanked by three similar uprights raised on a revolving base supportedby three massive lion’s paw feet with scrolling acanthus foliage.english, circa 1880.

Cue rack:height: 62in; 157cmBase diameter at feet: 32in; 81.3cm

Footnote:This exemplary pair epitomizes the ultimate in country house BilliardRoom furnishings, and was made for Kinross house by Burroughes &Watts of London. (For further information see page 22).

Kinross House was built between 1685-1693 by one of scotland'spremier architects and career politicians, sir William Bruce (1630-1710), to be his new home on the Loch Leven estate which he boughtin 1675 from the earls of Morton. The Palladian mansion became oneof Bruce's triumphs and it remains to this day, one of scotland's mostimportant country houses and was described by Country Life (February16, 1951) as ‘the complete expression in stone of the Renaissance inscotland’. Bruce’s other notable projects included the remodeling ofholyrood house, edinburgh, Thirlestane Castle, hopetoun house andCaroline Park, Midlothian.

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The Magnus Table

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The shaped rectangular frame and facetted tapering legs of this mostunusual full size (12ft) Victorian table are crafted from slate which isone of the unique features of tables made by George Magnus. Inaddition he patented the technique for applying enamelled decorationto the slate, usually in the form of imitation marbling or scagliola. Onthis table the sides and legs are decorated with panels and roundelsof imitation siena marble with a Vitruvian scroll border round thefrieze all on a black ground. The sturdy legs have turned rings abovetapering octagonal sections on bun feet. signed Magnus PatentLondon. english, circa 1860.

Footnote:Mr. George eugene Magnus (1801-1873) was born in Orsett, essex, in1801. he spent some time in the Potteries area of staffordshireworking for Josiah Wedgewood II and married Mary Boyle, the daughterof an earthenware manufacturer. There, he evidently learned the artof decorating, glazing and firing pottery, a skill he later used todecorate the underframes of billiard tables which he made entirely ofslate. In 1838 he purchased an interest in a slate quarry in NorthWales, and another on the Island of Valentia off the West Coast ofIreland. From these quarries he obtained slate of various coloursincluding grey and ebony black from which he made his billiard tables.

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George eugene Magnus

In 1840 he patented his process of applying colour and glaze whichwas fired like enamel directly onto the slate. An extract from theletters patent reads … “The articles which I have manufactured fromslate instead of other materials … and which I claim as new and neverbefore made or known, and to the sole manufacture of which Iconsider myself entitled under the letter patent are billiard tablescomposed solely of slate that is the frame and legs as well as the bedor table, although I am aware the bed or table has been heretoforemade of slate which I do not claim excepting when combined with theframing and legs …. Secondly my improvements consist in polishingand finishing such manufactured articles as are required forornamental purposes by the following process … (here follows a listof instructions for enamelling slate) ….”

Magnus leased a wharf, complete with large cranes for offloadingquantities of slate and with workshops, on the Grosvenor Canal atPimlico where in 1840 he established the “Pimlico slate Company” withthe address 30/40 Upper Belgrave Place. By 1851 the firm wassufficiently famous to exhibit at the Great exhibition. Within a decadehe was evidently well-known for his links with the royal family astestified by the following entry in the 'The Phillimore estate', Surveyof London: volume 37:, pp. 58-76, in 1859-60, No 31 PhillimoreGardens ‘was built for his own residence by George eugene Magnus,a slate manufacturer who was also ‘billiard maker to h.R.h. the PrinceConsort.’. On his death, he left the business to his sons George andernest but by 1890 Corgden & Powell slate Works had taken over thePimlico site.

Other notable examples of Magnus Tables

A very fine example of a 10ft size Magnus table made in black ebonyslate with rich enamelled and gilt decoration can be seen at the dukeof Wellington’s residence at stratfield saye.

Another Magnus table is in Queen Victoria’s summer Residence atOsborne house , Isle-of-Wight. The Queen and Prince Albert visitedthe Iron duke at stratfield saye whilst Osborne house was being builtfor them by Cubitt, and possibly the duke recommended a Magnusbilliard table. An article which was published in the “Art Union MonthlyJournal” dated March 1847 reported the making of this table to PrinceAlbert’s own design at the Pimlico slate Works and describes thebeautifully enamelled imitation marble Porphry and scaglioli. The tablewhich is a full sized 12ft, model is made entirely of grey slate whichhas been decorated, glazed and fired. Apparently this table is alsoslightly higher than normal because Queen Victoria (who played everyafternoon accompanied by her ladies in waiting, while the men playedafter dinner) did not want to risk showing her ankles when she leanedacross the table.

There is also an unusual example of a Magnus Full size (12ft,) billiardtable made entirely of black ebony slate in the National Trust property– Penryhn Castle, Bangor, Gwynedd.

The Osborne house Magnus billiard table The stratfield saye Magnus billiard table

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This finely reeded brass frame with embellished tulip castings andfinials is joined to a central boss with an upturned beaded finial.decorative scrolled supports brace the frame to the reeded centralupright column, which is fitted with an embellished ceiling rose.Formerly gas powered this light retains six original gas taps. It isshown with new silk lampshades, other colours are available ifrequired.

Footnote: The earliest reference to gas being used to light a billiard table is ina publication by John Roberts senior of 1868. he recommends gasusing the “Ring and Argand” system, in the form of a treble “T”totaling six burners. Gas Chandeliers became the standard forlighting billiard tables during the late 19th Century, but in the1920’s electric lighting rapidly replaced gas.

dimensions including shades: Length: 103½ in; 262cmWidth: 51in; 130cmheight: 55in; 140cm

It is possible to sympathetically reduce or extend the centralcolumn for a specific ceiling height.

An extremely rare Billiard table Gasoliercirca 1885.