A fine George III mahogany urn stand in the manner of Robert Adam, retaining excellent original colour & patina. The square top with low gallery around the edge above a classical Adam style fluted frieze, bordered to each side with a carved oval leaf paterae. One side of the frieze has a pull out mixing bowl slide which is neatly integrated into the vertical fluting. The legs are of square section, tapering form out-swept and with full length stop-flutes to the outer sides, united by scroll shaped, moulded stretcher with a small acorn finial and standing on block toe feet.

Robert Adam's name is known as much for his work in interior decoration and furniture design, as it is for his architecture. Adam must be considered along with Thomas Chippendale, George Hepplewhite and Thomas Sheraton in the development of English furniture styles. Though he was not a cabinet-maker, Adam was one of the first to consider furniture fully worthy of an architect's attention, on finding nothing suitable to compliment his classical interiors, he designed furniture to suit. The urn stand was used for holding the tea kettle, back in times when tea was an expensive and rare commodity, the tea would be mixed into a pot which was placed on the slide, hot water from the kettle would be poured into the pot by means of a tap fitted at the bottom of the kettle (sometimes called the urn). These days the stand would be used either as a decorative plant or lamp stand, they are generally rare and also very desirable.