Italian Napoleonite & Figured Walnut Stylised Dolphin Console Tables

Italian Napoleonite & Figured Walnut Stylised Dolphin Console Tables

A remarkable pair of early nineteenth-century Italian console tables, these exquisite pieces embody the grandeur and refinement characteristic of the Regency period, seamlessly blending Italian craftsmanship with imperial taste.

Origin: Italy
Date: Circa 1810
Material: Napoleonite (Corsican Orbicular Diorite), figured walnut, Imperial Egyptian Porphyry

Dimensions: Height: 96 cm (38 in); Width: 133 cm (52.5 in); Depth: 66 cm (26 in)

Condition: Excellent condition for their age, with a superb patina and no significant restorations.

These Italian console tables stand as exceptional examples of Regency-era furniture, harmoniously marrying classical design with exceptional practical artistry. The use of Napoleonite, or Corsican Orbicular Diorite, elevates these pieces far beyond the ordinary; this highly rare stone, quarried near Olmeto in Corsica from the late eighteenth century, was strictly reserved for the French Imperial family, being favoured by Emperor Napoleon himself. Their dolphin motifs reference classical antiquity but were especially prominent throughout the decorative arts of the Royal courts in eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century Europe, making these tables genuine testaments to aristocratic taste and symbolism. Notably, such dolphin carvings adorned important items such as the Royal Barge of Frederick, Prince of Wales, underlining their association with power and prestige.

Notable Features:

• Masterful craftsmanship demonstrated in the deeply carved, stylised dolphins—each rendered with meticulous detail, open-mouths bared in a striking display of imperial strength and authority.
• Superb tops veneered in Corsican Orbicular Diorite (Napoleonite), one of the most sought-after and visually arresting stones on earth, with dramatic orbed patterns and a distinctive Imperial Egyptian Porphyry band accentuating their royal allure.
• Design significance lies in the bold, symmetrical Regency lines, combined with classical references and marine motifs, merging the elegance of figured walnut with the exotic rarity of the stone.
• Highly collectable due to their distinguished provenance from an important titled estate, and the sheer rarity of both the stone and subject matter—dolphin-carved pieces of this period are seldom seen outside royal collections and leading European museums.
• Practical value as a focal point for refined interiors, whether as statement console tables in a drawing room, entryway, or adding museum-quality significance to a private collection of 19th-century furniture.

These Italian Napoleonite & figured walnut stylised dolphin console tables are not only outstanding for connoisseurs of Regency or Italian furniture, but represent an unmissable opportunity for collectors seeking the finest and most distinguished examples of early 19th-century craftsmanship.