George III Cumberland Drop-Leaf Dining Table

A late-18th-century Cumberland-action mahogany dining table, the beautifully figured top above elegantly twisted stems raised on outswept legs with lion's paw cappings and castors. The first Cumberland-action dining table was reputedly commissioned by Henry Frederick, Duke of Cumberland, the brother of George III. The Cumberland action is a sophisticated variation on the gate-leg table with the legs swinging out to support the leaves without obstructing the legs of the seated diners.