New York Tea Table, ca. 1765
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GUEST:
It was in my mother's family for many years back in the 1800s, I know of. And her cousin, when he died in 1932, left the home and all the furnishings to my mother.
APPRAISER:
Well, I can tell you that it's an absolute authentic 18th-century American table. It went through the Revolution because it was made between 1760 and 1770. This is known as a tea table. Tea was very popular in the 18th century. And each center, like New York and Philadelphia, they had their own versions of a tea table, and this is a typical New York version. The ball-and-claw foot is distinctive. In New York, the ball-and-claw foot is a sculpture. It's made, like, from a square block.
GUEST:
Right, right, right.
APPRAISER:
See, the ankles dip down sharply.
GUEST:
I can see that.
APPRAISER:
And that's typical New York. Also, the bulbous column is typical of New York. The plain top is also typical of New York. In Philadelphia, they had what's known as a pie crust tea table. The good news is that it's made by a real master craftsman. It's got the finest mahogany-- Santo Domingan mahogany. It's made to tip and turn-- very ingenious. It turns this way. It also tilts. When you look at it from the front, it's a beautiful view this way. Now, this has a contraption that enabled it to tilt and turn, and that was known as a birdcage. Somewhere in the 19th century or maybe early 20th century, probably the birdcage broke. Now, the birdcage was two platforms which was held by balusters...
GUEST:
Yes.
APPRAISER:
Columns, four columns. Probably the column broke and they took the columns out and just kept the single platform. In order to make it turn, they made this extension so it still is able to tilt and turn, but the birdcage support is gone. You have one of the best New York tables I've seen. It's very fine craftsmanship. This is one solid board with beautiful figure. And I would say the value of this table probably would be between $6,000 and $8,000 at the present. It would be worth double that...
GUEST:
If it had the birdcage.
APPRAISER:
If it had the birdcage, right. But still, it's a beautiful example.
GUEST:
Thank you very, very much.
Appraisal Details
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