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Photo: Courtesy Sotheby's, New York
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Bureau table

Object number

RIF2786

Maker

Maker, attributed to Edmund Townsend, American, 1736/7–1811

Dimensions

33 1/2 × 35 3/4 × 20 1/2 in. (85.09 × 90.805 × 52.07 cm)

Date

1755–75

Current location

Unknown

Geography

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

Medium

Mahogany

Marks

Unknown

Inscriptions

Unknown

Provenance

Private collection, before 1988; consigned to Sotheby's, New York, January 28-30, 1988, lot 1918

Associated names

Sotheby's

Construction

The top is attached to the case with longitundinal battens at the front and back that are dovetailed to the sides of the case; the rear batten is visible at the back between the backboards and the mahogany top. The bottoms of the small drawers are fitted to rabbets in the drawer fronts and the sides and are nailed to the drawer backs. The vertical blocks on the feet rest on the case bottom and the horizontal blocks abut them. (Adapted from Sotheby's, New York, Important Americana, January 28?30, 1988, lot 1918).

Bibliography

Sotheby's, New York, Important Americana, sale cat. (January 28–30, 1988), lot 1918, ill.