Lot 72

Beautiful English Victorian Mahogany Gothic Library Table and Chairs with Provenance

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Beautiful English Victorian Mahogany Gothic Library Table and Chairs with Provenance

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Current Bid: $425

(11 Bids)

by Diederich Auction Gallery
August 2, 2026 6:00 PM EDT
Timed Auction
31 W. Hickman St.
Winchester, KY, US 40391

Beautiful English Victorian Mahogany Gothic Library Table and Chairs with Provenance
You will not find a more elaborate table and chairs no matter where you look. Circa 1870 library table with four drawers with two matching in the style chairs. The table features winged abyssinian cats on all four corners with pawed feet and large stretcher connecting the four. The frieze is heavily carved with acanthus leaves and vines and the top features an outline of the same with the addition of shell carvings on all four corners. All in very good antique condition but noted there are bumps and bruises and are two places where the veneer has been chipped off which we have shown all in the photos. The chairs are just as remarkable as the table as they both feature ladies heads on the posts, lion masks and culminating with heavily pawed feet. The crest of the chairs features scrolled decoration with cherubs on either side. Both upholstered in a matching red crushed velvet. The table top measures 54 1/2" by 36" and is 28 3/4" in height. The chairs measures 27" in width, 25" in depth, and 49 3/4" in height at the back. This lot has excellent provenance and I encourage you to read the following. Also make note that the proceeds from the sale will be donated to the church group after expenses. Now for the story about this library table and chairs.


The Doylesville United Methodist Church's Victorian Era Library Table & Chairs and Their Back Story: (Written by Todd Moberly from Madison County, who is one of a few if not the only certified antique appraiser in the State of Kentucky, and a fine gentleman as well.)

The two large, highly figured Victorian Era chairs and the large four drawer mahogany library table, with carved, figured legs, came from "Burnamwood," in Richmond, Madison County, Kentucky, the family home of prominent Madison County attorney and political figure, Curtis Field Burnam (1820-1909). Burnam served in the state legislature and eventually rose to prominence in The Republican Party, going so far as to serve as acting U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, as well as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury under U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant during his second term of office.

The three items of furniture being consigned date from The Mid-Victorian period, ca. 1870, and were shipped to The United States from Britain. The mahogany, four-drawer library (H table and heavily figure-carved armchairs reflect the eclectic and exotic influences on British furniture design; Assyrian Revival as well as Elizabeth and Renaissance motifs are evident in these pieces.

In 1970, the pieces were donated to The Doylesville United Methodist Church by the sister-in-law of Pearl Wight Burnam (1884-1974),. Mrs. Burnam lived at "Burnamwood" and was the daughter of New Orleans shipping tycoon Pearl Wight (1844-1920) eventually came to live in "Burnamwood," after the death of her husband, George, in 1953.

Connected by ferry to neighboring Clark County, Doylesville was a small but thriving farm community when the church was built in 1889. Families on both sides of the river, a handful of small businesses and numerous families kept it going, as well as the church. By the 1950's, however, the ferry closed, the population continued its slow decline, and although small in number, church members continued to conduct regular services. In March, 2021, disaster struck when The Kentucky River flooded and nearby Muddy Creek rose from its banks to fill the church sanctuary, destroying much of the contents. As the flood waters receded, community volunteers came to help, but in the end it was too much for the tiny congregation to overcome. In June, 2026, the last three members made the heartbreaking decision to officially close, under the guidelines of the Methodist denomination. Accordingly, the church property was sold to owners of the surrounding farmland and those funds, along with what will be realized from the sale of the furnishings, are being donated to non-profit organizations of the members' choosing, i.e., area churches and a nearby volunteer fire department that provided much-needed aid following the 2021 flood.


As with all items in the catalog, it is your responsibility as a bidder to inspect the item in order for you to be confident in the condition and to authenticity. We strive to give the best information that we can- either in the description, the photos, and answering your questions, but we are not experts in everything and can make mistakes and in our process of cataloging items, we can inadvertently overlook something. Please do your due diligence prior to bidding and if you are not satisfied in your knowledge of an item, then please do not bid.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, COD (cash on delivery), Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Other, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Pickup of items won will be appointment only. You will receive an email that allows you to schedule your appointment for pickup starting on Tuesday, August 4 through Friday, August 7 from 3 pm - 6 pm and again on Saturday, August 8, 9am -Noon. We will have additional help on Saturday in the form of two strong young men so if you purchase a large and heavier item and do not have help, then please schedule for that day. We have a lot of items to move out and desire to empty our venue as soon as we can to allow items coming in for the next sale.
If you have not paid online, then payment can be made at pickup. Please bring your own packaging and additional help if needed for loading items. All removals must be completed in a professional and tidy manner. Not responsible for accidents.

For those buyers who wish to have their merchandise sent or who are out of the area and will not pick the items up, shipping arrangements can be made through the shippers listed below or any other shipper you would want to use. All packing and shipping of merchandise will be at the risk and expense of the buyer. A list of shippers that have been used by past customers is below: It is the buyer's responsibility to contact the shipper and then contact Dave Diederich at 859 745 2900 to communicate which shipper you are using so we can coordinate getting it into their hands, which we do at no charge to you..
If you want to get an estimate on how much the shipping will be, the dimensions for an item is in the catalog. I will be happy to get you an estimated weight on an item and then you can give the shipper this information along with your zip code.
Important: Any item (s) that are not picked up in 30 days, unless prior arrangements have been made, will be assessed a storage fee of $100/month so that we can move them to an outside storage facility. Sorry, but we just don't have the room to store your items. If you need help with a shipper, then contact Dave @ 859 745 2900 as he will be glad to help.

For smaller items:
UPS Store, Winchester, Ky. 859 745 4422, store3343@theupsstore.com (no International shipping)
The Mailroom, Lexington, Ky.: 859 268 0206, kelenmailroom@yahoo.com

For items delivered to the Bluegrass area including Louisville: Riley Chambers @ 502 600 3108 large or small items

For freight, furniture and long distance items:
Kerry Baird, Crosstown Movers. Lexington, Ky. 859 229 8029
S&L Transport- Jill 315 576 0684 Very reliable shipper
Don Stocker 715 554 0577 Very reliable shipper

Shippers are independent of Diederich Auction Gallery and are not endorsed by it; therefore, we are not responsible for problems associated with shipping. Merchandise is stored at the risk of the purchaser.

Diederich Auction Gallery

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $5
$100 $249 $10
$250 $999 $25
$1,000 $4,999 $50
$5,000 $9,999 $100
$10,000 + $250