LONDON.- A magnificent carved pine George II side table (lot 231) sold for a staggering £218,500 against £80,000-£120,000 estimates. The marble topped table is carved and molded with central lion mask and stands on lion paw feet. It is attributed to William Linnell of the Long Acre based Linnell firm which specialized in carving and gilding and was amongst the most prominent in London in the mid 1700s, rivaling even the Chippendale company.

A beautiful and richly coloured George II carved mahogany table with ‘scagliola’ painted top (lot 229) showing Mars, Venus and Cupid sold for £194,500 – nearly ten times its pre-sale estimates. Scaglioa is the decorative technique which simulates coloured marble inlay and was first developed by the Romans.

The collection of Giles Newby Vincent, architect, interior decorator and garden designer, was led by lot 26, a war-time Christmas present from an English gentleman to his wife which tripled its estimates to realise £80,500. The George II carved walnut, featherbanded bureau was offered with an annotated receipt, “To a war worn housewife! Best Christmas Wishes and a tribute of profound admiration, 1942”.

Giles Newby Vincent worked on ‘the Crawley house’ used in the acclaimed television series Downton Abbey. One of the garden alterations that Giles made - lowering the front courtyard wall - opened up the view across the churchyard into the front garden. This view of the Crawley’s house is now one of the most frequently used location shots in the series.