19th Century Cast Iron & Mahogany Reading Stand, 1880

Superb quality late 19th-century adjustable rectangular reading stand with a circular table. The piece features two solid mahogany tables that can be used flat or angled, mounted on a brass column with a brass adjustable mechanism above a heavy cast iron reeded column and carved quadripartite base. The quality metalwork includes a patent stamp from the London cabinetmaker John Carter, Portland Place, London. Made in England circa 1880, John Carter was famous for his various inventions under the trademarked banner ‘Literary Machines’. He was a Victorian inventor and cabinetmaker operating out of 6A Cavendish Street, Portland Place, London, and was a maker to Queen Victoria, the Prince of Wales, and the Emperors of Russia and Germany, having gained a reputation for quality.