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Photo: Courtesy Rhode Island Furniture Archive
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Card table

Object number

RIF222

Maker

Maker Unknown

Date

1780–1800

Current location

Private collection

Geography

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

Medium

Mahogany (primary); pine (stationary rail); maple (hinged rail)

Marks

None

Inscriptions

None

Provenance

Private collection

Construction

The oblong, single-board top has a cove-molded edge, a serpentine profile at its front and sides, and rectangular outset corners. It is joined by brass hinges at their rear corners to a conformingly shaped, single-board top leaf with a square, gouge-decorated edge. The only visible means of attachment between the top and the conformingly shaped frame are screw pockets ? one through the inside of the interior rear rail, and one through the outside of the exterior rear rail near the hinge. The interior rear rail is joined to the stationary portion of the exterior rear rail with rosehead nails through two spacer blocks. The swinging portion of the exterior rear rail moves by means of a square, seven-knuckled carved wood hinge. A shadow in the proper right rear corner of the frame indicates the former presence of a vertical glue block. The front and side rails are string-inlaid near the skirt, which has a beaded edge continuing down the corners of the tapered legs. The outside corners of the front legs are also beaded, and the outside faces have two large flutes. All the legs have slightly chamfered inside corners. The front and side rails are tenoned to the blocks atop the legs. Each joint shows two wood pins; some show additional smaller wood pins. Examined by D. A. Carr, February 4, 2004; notes compiled by T. B. Lloyd.