Images(7)

Card Table

Date1725-1735

OriginEngland

MediumMahogany throughout, wool

DimensionsOH: 18 5/8”; OW: 30’; OD: 14 5/8” (closed), 29 ¼” (open)

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1936-359

DescriptionAppearance: Mahogany card table with concertina support system. Straight, round, slightly inwardly tapered legs with pad feet and lambrequin shoulders. Top with oval reserves and indented round corners. broadcloth top is probably original.

Construction: All visible woods are mahogany. The fixed and hinged tops are of identical construction with a 2” wide mitered frame on the three outer edges joined, probably tenoned, to an inner board and joined to each other with knife-edge hinges. A round metal leaf tenon in the center of the back edge of the fixed top helps orient the top when opened. A full thickness 3”x5” block containing the mahogany oval reserve is inset ¾” from each of the outer edges of the top. The reserves are trimmed on the edges with ¼” cross-grained mahogany veneer, as are the outer edges of the top surface. The underside of the hinged top (upper side when closed) is also veneered, as are all front and side rails and the back edge of the fixed top.

The legs extend to the top of the rails. The front rail and fixed side rails are tenoned into the front legs. A medial rail, 5 ¼” in back of the front rail is joined to the side rails possibly with sliding dovetails and is nailed (modern) through the veneer to the proper right side rail. Pocket screws from the front and side rails secure the top and are supplemented with rectangular glue blocks on the front, side(now missing) and medial rails. The back rail is tenoned to the back legs

The front segments of the folding rails of the concertina assembly are lap joined to the fixed rails and joined with inset butt hinges. They are joined to the rear folding rail sections with knife-edge hinges set into the top and bottom edges of the rails. The rear folding rail sections are lap joined to fixed side rail extensions that are tenoned into the upper portion of the rear legs. They are joined with butt hinges to the upper portion of the rear legs and to blocks adjoining the rear legs that are in turn glued to the rear rail flush with the leg surface.

Forged hooks at the intersection of the folding rails stabilize the concertina assembly when open. Glued stop blocks on the underside of the fixed top keep the assembly in position when closed. Shaped blocks are glued at the intersection of legs and rails.
MarkingsFixed rail and folding rails marked with one scribe line (Roman Numeral I) on proper right side and two scribe lines (Roman Numeral II) on proper left (underside of rails).