Images(9)

Breakfast Table

Date1790-1810

OriginAmerica, Rhode Island, Newport

MediumMahogany, maple, white pine, and lightwood stringing

DimensionsOverall: 27 1/2 × 19 3/8 (closed) 35 7/8 (open) × 32 3/16in. (69.9 × 47.6 × 81.3cm)

Credit LineGift of Robert Iverson

Object number2022-31

DescriptionAppearance: A rectangular breakfast table with two rule-jointed hinged leaves; cockbeaded drawer at one end with central bail and rosette brass pull (replaced); matching faux drawer front at opposite end; drawer front outlined in rectangular lightwood stringing with indented corners; straight, tapered legs inlay at top, flanking drawer, with urn on pedestal; lightwood string along skirt below drawer terminating in loop at top of legs; legs inlaid with lightwood string starting at base of urn inlay and four graduated bellflowers with dot on top, string down the legs, and loop at ankle.

Construction:
Rear rail, front drawer blade, and fixed outer side rail ends are tenoned into legs; top front rail is tenoned or dovetailed at top of leg; full length inner side rails are nailed from the inside to the fixed outer side rail ends; outer side rail finger joined to fly rail; fly rail relieved on underside for fingers; drawer supports nailed to the inner side rails at bottom; vertical drawer stops with angled tops nailed to inner side rails at end of drawer supports (about three quarters of depth of table); drawer guide (replaced or added?) nailed to inside of proper left side rail above drawer to prevent tipping; top is screwed to the frame from screw pockets: one from the inside of the end, one under the top front rail, and two from the outside of the outer side rails at each end; evidence of former glue blocks under top; leaves are rule jointed and hinged with two iron butt hinges.

Drawer is of standard dovetail construction; the bottom board, with grain oriented side to side, is chamfered along the sides and front and in dados in the same and nailed to the underside of the back; long glue blocks are glued to the bottom along the sides as runners, square at back; drawer front and faux drawer front at rear end have single bail and rosette brass pull (replaced).

All nails rosehead except on drawer guide.

Mahogany with white pine secondary wood and tiger maple as the outer side rails.
Label TextRectangular tables with hinged leaves like this example were known in the period as breakfast, tea, and Pembroke tables. Thomas Jefferson may have referred to the form as a "Tea table" with "leaves" in 1772 and English furniture designer Thomas Sheraton wrote that the name could be ascribed to the Countess of Pembroke "who first gave orders for one of them." Sheraton also specified in 1803 that the "use of this piece is for a gentleman or lady to breakfast on." This example is attributed to Newport, Rhode Island where cabinetmakers Stephen and Thomas Goddard produced examples with similar but not identical inlaid decoration. Virginian John Randolph (1773-1833) of Roanoke Plantation in Charlotte County, Virginia, owned a card table labeled by the Goddard brothers (now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.)
InscribedChalk numbers inside drawer corners, visible numerals are "4" in the rear proper right corner on the side and backboard; and "2" on the proper left side; and "1" in the proper left rear corner on the backboard.
Chalk "X" on back of drawer backboard.
MarkingsModern paper label inside proper right side of drawer "BERNARD & S. DEAN/ Levy INC./ 24 EAST 84TH STREET/ NEW YORK, NY 10028-0427/ TELEPHONE (212) 628-7088/ SPECIALIZING IN THE FINEST AMERICAN ANTIQUES AND ART SINCE 1901"
ProvenanceDonor purchased from Bernard & S. Dean Levy. This may be table RIF79 which sold at Bonhams and Butterfield, San Francisco (sale held in Brookline, MA) May 5, 2003, lot 316 to Bernard and S, Dean Levy.