Card table

Date1800-1810

Possibly by Rogers & Atwood

OriginAmerica, Massachusetts, Newburyport

MediumMahogany; maple; and white pine (by microanalysis).

DimensionsOH: 30 1/4:; OW: 35 3/4"; OD open: 35"; OD closed: 17 1/2"

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1992-237

DescriptionAppearance: D-shaped top with elliptic frontal projection; edges of both leaves inlaid with elaborate patterned stringing; front and side rails conform to top; each front and side rail veneered with elongated rectangular panels of maple surrounded by mahogany cross-banding; lower edge of apron finished with patterned stringing; four tapered legs with lightwood cuffs edged in patterned stringing; front faces of front legs have plain stringing between front rail and cuffs; left rear leg swings.
Construction: two single-board solid leaves; lower leaf secured to frame with screws driven through rails from below; curved rails assembled from solid, non-laminated white pine boards; front legs joint to front rail with saddle joints; right rail tenoned into right rear leg; inner rear rail dovetailed to side rails; fixed hinge rail secured to inner rear rail with nails driven from inside; swing hinge rail tenoned into left rear leg; hinge knuckles do not project through inner rear rail.

Materials: Mahogany top, legs; mahogany and maple veneers; white pine front, side, inner rear, and hinge rails (by microanalysis).
Label TextTables labeled by Rogers & Atwood of Newburyport, Massachusetts, are closely related to this one. Shared features include the relatively rare top shape, the simple three-part facade, the use of plain stringing on the front legs but not the rear ones, the use of patterned stringing at the cuffs and lower edges of the rails, the flush board construction of the inner rear rail and fixed hinge rail, the exposed upper section of the swing leg, the absence of a medial rail, the solid board construction of the curved rails, and the use of white pine secondaries. Some of these traits were also used in other Newburyport shops, and if the CWF table is not by Rogers & Atwood, it is almost certainly from another Newburyport operation.
Inscribed"N 2" chalked in an early hand on inner face of inner rear rail, possibly indicating that this table was no. 2 of a pair.