Bedside or night table

Date1765-1775

MediumMahogany and yellow pine

DimensionsOH: 32 3/4" OW: 18 1/4" OD: 18 1/4"

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1985-40

DescriptionAppearance - square case; gallery at top is integral part of case sides and back, with shaped, castlated corners and lifting handles on sides and back; two cock-beaded doors conceal compartment above a full length drawer and sliding commode with two drawer facades, drawer and facades with cock-beaded edges; four marlborough legs beaded on outer corners; front legs split diagonally beneath drawer; drop pulls on right door, drawer, and drawer facades.

Construction - all elements mahogany except as noted; top rests on chamfered yellow pine molding which is glued and nailed top insides of case sides and back; front gallery rail glued to front legs and mortised in center to receive lock; case sides and back tenoned into legs; top two drawer blades tenoned to front legs; top compartment yellow pine bottom board rests on yellow pine boards which are glued and nailed to case sides and serve as drawer guides, compartment bottom glued to top drawer blade; doors secured to front legs with two butt hinges each; lock secures left door to gallery, door pull secures right door to left door; yellow pine drawer sides dovetailed to drawer face and yellow pine back; drawer face and sides rabbeted to accept yellow pine bottom, bottom nailed into all rabbets, overlapping and nailed to back; original drawer supports glued and nailed to drawer guides; yellow pine boards nailed to case sides between legs serve as sliding commode guides, original commode supports glued and nailed to guides; front legs split diagonally beneath drawer to support extended commode; drawer blades and drawer facades tenoned to front halves of front legs; commode interior completely replaced.
ProvenanceVendor acquired the table from Mrs. Helen Wise. It was originally owned by the Haxall and Bolling families of Petersburg and Richmond and is thought to have been in the house "Columbia" at the corner of Grace and Lombardi Streets in Richmond at one time.