By a small D^o 8 8
--------------------------------
148 15-1/2 @ 11/3 84 13 9
In March 1748, Mercer settled with Captain Lyndon for the following:
£ s. d.
1 superfine large gilt Sconce glass 6 16
1 D^o 5 5
1 Walnut & gold D^o 2 10
1 Marble Sideboard 32/6 Bragolo [sic] 32/6 3 5
The following June he bought a marble table from William Jordan and in
October "4 looking Glasses," which Jordan obtained from Sydenham &
Hodgson.
Meanwhile, William Walker's brother Robert made 14 chairs for Mercer, on
which William's carver spent 54 days. The total cost was £30 8s. The
quality of Mercer's furniture is illustrated further by a purchase in
1750 from Lyonel Lyde,[100] a London merchant, of £43 13s. worth of
"Cabinet Ware from Belchier." Belchier was a leading London furniture
maker, whose shop in 1750 was located on the "south side of St. Paul's,
right against the clock." Sir Ambrose Heal, in _The London Furniture
Makers_, illustrates a superb japanned writing cabinet in green and gold
chinoiserie made by Belchier in 1730.[101] Belchier also supplied
Shalstone Manor, the Buckinghamshire estate of Henry Purefoy, with a
table-desk in 1749 (fig. 13).[102]
The ledger notes other occasional purchases of furniture during this
period. In 1746 Mercer paid cash "for oysters & a bedsteed," in the
amount of 10s. 6d. In September 1748, he bought "an Escritoire" from
tutor John Phipps, for which he paid £5.