Images(7)

Dining table, miniature

DateCa. 1800

OriginAmerica, New Jersey or New York

MediumCurly maple, maple

DimensionsOH: 8 3/8"; OW: 16"; OD (closed): 8"

Credit LineBequest of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph H. Hennage

Object number1991-42,A-D

DescriptionAppearance: Miniature round extension dining table with eight turned and tapered legs and three separate rectangular leaves; when closed, one half of table-top folds on top of other creating a half round pier table; when open table can be round or extend with extra leaves to oval shape.

Construction: Table top consists of three pieces, one piece forms one full half circle and is attached with butt hinges and folds on top of the rest of the table top, the other half is attached with butt hinges and separates into two pieces, one small strip with the hinges has leaf-edge tenons and the rest of the second half is attached with wooden pegs to the frame of the table; these leaf edge tenons allow for the attachment of up to three table leaves which also have the leaf-edge tenons; the table frame consists of five horizontally laminated layers which are veneered on the outside that form a half circle; two end braces are dovetailed into the laminated layers; the backboard consists of three pieces, with the center piece becoming the farthest edge of the sliding extension; the other two backboard pieces are tenoned to the legs and dovetailed to the end braces; there is a supporting brace that goes across the fourth sliding extension, in which the cross piece is tenoned into glued supports on either side; there are a total of eight legs: two legs are attached to the laminated front with a bridle joint; two legs are tenoned into the end of the curved rail and the backboard; two legs are tenoned to the portion of the backboard which forms the end of the extension; two final legs are double tenoned to the bottom of the supporting structure that goes across the fourth sliding extension; the sliding mechanism starts with a block of wood with rabbeted edges nailed into the end braces; the first extension has an opening wide enough for the first slide to be fitted into it; the second slide is then nailed to the other side of the extension piece, which is then fitted onto the next extension piece; an upper dado is fitted with a little block that keeps the slides from coming out of the extension pieces; this is repeated five times on each side and ends with a miter joint into the final end support, which forms a squared shape; this shape consists of the backboard at the farthest end with two longer extensions joined to it with sliding dovetails, with the final end enclosed by a thin piece dovetailed to the end of the extensions.

ProvenancePurchased by donor from Israel Sack, Inc. in 1974