In 1900 Charles Rennie Mackintosh designed Windyhill, a house set on the hillside outside Kilmacolm, for his friend William Davidson. They had known each other for about five years and Davidson already owned several pieces of furniture, bought for his parents’ house. The woodwork and decorations in the house followed the same general pattern as those at 120 Mains Street, a house which Mackintosh had completed the year before. This is the largest of two white tables made for Davidson’s main bedroom. The thiner version is in the collection of the Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery, Glasgow (Ref. 52801)

In a letter dated June 12th 1901, Mackintosh gives Davidson the prices for his bedroom furniture, based on a quote from Francis Smith. Our table, described as ‘1 table for mirror’, is listed for 2£. The final account shows that only 1 pound and 13 shillings were paid.

The table was most likely completed by the end of July when the family moved into the house. Davidson sold Windyhill and its contents in 1934. The whereabouts of our table after that are unclear. However, the house underwent important restoration by new owners in 1979, and we know that the table was in the collection of Gerald and Celia Larner during the 1980’s. Thus, we

can speculate that it remained in the house between 1934 and 1979 before being sold with the rest of the furniture.