Edward Foxhall Senior (fl.1790-d.1815), London, 1800, mahogany, marble, brass. With four tapering reeded legs, with small inset rectangular blocks top and bottom, mounted on castors; the top with a brass frame containing 28 squares of sample marbles.

This table was made for Soane by Foxhall and Company in 1800 and described on the bill as ‘a mahogany frame reeded all round on turned and reeded legs on castors for a marble top’ which cost £2.7.6 and ‘a Brass frame for do’ costing £1.10.0.¹ From the description it appears that Foxhall was not supplying the marble samples, which Soane presumably already owned and for which the table was commissioned. Peter Thornton noted in 1987 that the design of this table was very old fashioned for 1800 and felt that on appearance alone it would be dated c.1780; its long, thin legs with blocks at the top are rather reminiscent of the style of Sir William Chambers.

Soane noted in his 1830 Description of the Morning Room that ‘The Table, with specimens of marbles, was made for Mrs. Soane, who latterly passed much of her time in this room, which communicated with a Bed-chamber’. Peter Thornton wondered whether the table was a present to Mrs Soane from her husband and speculated that he might have acquired the collection of marble samples on his journey to Italy in 1778-80.

Although the table is not shown on the plan in the 1835 Description, it is shown in front of the the window of the Morning Room on a plan drawn shortly after Soane’s death (32/2C/4)² and can be seen there in the engraving in The Graphic Magazine, 1884.

In 2015 this table was reinstated in its original position in the recreated Morning Room as part of Phase 2 of Opening up the Soane.

¹ SM Archive 16/6 bill dated 10 Oct 1800.
² SM 32/2C/4.

J. Soane Description of the Residence of John Soane, Architect, London , 1835, p. 85
Peter Thornton, Soane and Furniture, 1985, pp. 3 and 5

Permanently Magical: Restoration and Renewal of Sir John Soane's Museum, Sir John Soane's Museum, London, 2 July - 4 September 2010