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Photo: Courtesy Christie's, New York
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Dining table

Object number

RIF1347

Maker

Maker Unknown

Dimensions

Closed: 28 1/2 × 15 1/8 × 44 1/8 in. (72.39 × 38.42 × 112.08 cm)

Date

1780–1800

Current location

Unknown

Geography

Made in Rhode Island
(view a map of Rhode Island)

Medium

Mahogany (primary); maple or beech (hinged and stationary rails); chestnut(?) (corner block and glue block)

Marks

None

Inscriptions

"X," in chalk, on underside of top near one narrow end

Provenance

Unknown estate, Rhode Island; consigned to Christie's, New York, January 20–21, 2006, lot 815

Associated names

Christie's

Construction

The rectangular single-board top has a square edge and is flanked by two rectangular single-board square-edged leaves to which it is joined by seven sets of iron hinges, each leaf thrice-screwed, two sets at the midpoints of the frame, the others slightly inward of the legs, and one additional set. The joint between the top and leaves is quarter round. The top is joined to the frame by six screw pockets- two each in the skirts, the stationary rails and the stationary end of the hinged rail- by horizontal chamfered glue blocks (some missing), and by transverse battens dovetailed into the tops of the stationary rails and glued to the top. There is a transverse brace dovetailed into the bottom of the rails at the midpoint of the frame. The stationary rails are attached to the hinged rails with rosehead nails. The stationary rails exhibit vertical saw marks. The swing rails each have a round, five-knuckled hinge. The legs are joined to the hinged rails with mortise and tenon joints exhibiting two wood pins each and scribe lines on the underside of the rails. There is a vertical, quarter round glue block at the corners where skirt and stationary rails meet near the swing leg. The tops of the swing legs are rabbeted so that they fit over the end of the skirt boards. The square legs are fitted with casters and have five arched stop-flutes on their outside faces. Examined by P.E. Kane, January 22, 2006; notes compiled by T. B. Lloyd.

Bibliography

Christie's, New York, Important American Furniture, Folk Art, Silver, and Prints: Including the Garbisch Collection from the Sky Club, sale cat. (January 20–21, 2006), 318–319, lot 815, ill.