Rare Late 19th Century Australian Specimen Wood Games Table

the top surface with a parquetry inlay of specimen timbers arranged to create two chess board features, raised on four carved wood legs

Notes:

The table was originally in Oatlands House on Bettington Road in Sydney. The house was built in 1832 and subsequently purchased in 1840 by James and Rebecca Bettington and remained in the family until 1926. Rebecca was the daughter of William Lawson, the explorer, who, with Blaxland and Wentworth crossed the Blue Mountains.

The table is reputed to have been crafter from local timber by local craftsmen in Parramatta for Oatlands House; and was passed down to Hilda, the Bettington’s third daughter, who married Noel Peter Milson, grandson of James Milson of Milson Point. The table then moved to to Yass and was used as a work table for correspondence lessons by their daughters, June Weir and Pat Betts. It was then consigned to the billiard room where it remained under covers for the next 25 years.

It was subsequently sold at the ‘Laverstock’, Bowning NSW clearing sale in 1964, and bought back by June Weirs’ daughter from an antique store in Boorowa in 1983.

Measurements:

height 75 cm width 140 cm length 93 cm

• EStimate $8,000 - $12,000