Chess Table
Original OwnerOriginally owned by
George A. Fairfield
(American, 1834 - 1908)
Original OwnerOriginally owned by
Francis C. Moore
(American)
Furniture MakerMade by
Unknown
Date1856-1900
MediumWalnut, mahogany, chestnut, and oak, cast iron
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (height x width x depth of top): 27 13/16 x 19 x 18 5/8in. (70.6 x 48.3cm, 18 5/8in.)
Component (maximum width between two feet): 13in. (33cm)
ClassificationsFurniture
Credit LineMuseum purchase
Object number1978.76.0
DescriptionChess table in the Rococo Revival style; the top is made with pieces of wood from the Charter Oak. The table has a scalloped top over a slender, cast iron pedestal, with a tripod foot. There are sixty-four squares of alternating light and dark wood, surrounded by a square, dark wood frame, all inlaid in the surface of the table top. The inlay is about 13 ½ inches square. This is surrounded by eight inlaid circles of light wood; there is one circle at each corner and one in the center of each side of the inlaid square. The slender cast iron pedestal has two rings over a small flower, over a reeded column, over a pair of curled leaves, a slender baluster, and a compressed ball. The tripod foot has three legs, each with a raised shell on the knee, and a foot with seven lobes. Between each leg is a flower that hangs down from the tripod. The cast iron pedestal and tripod base are finished with a bronzed coating.
Condition: The top has been refinished, or the finish has been removed. The top has water damage; the inlay is uneven and the color has faded on the various woods. The finish on the cast iron is not original.
Design and Construction Details: The top is made from four boards that are butted together. The top is screwed to a rectangular cleat from the underside. The cast iron pedestal is screwed to the cleat. The tripod is screwed onto a rod with spiral threads on the bottom of the pedestal; it is secured with a square nut.
NotesHistorical Note: The Charter Oak, located on the Wyllys estate in Hartford, hid the state's royal charter when a representative of the English government attempted to seize it in 1687. The tree fell down during a storm in 1856. The patriotic story of the Charter Oak has since become a deeply rooted part of Connecticut's history.Condition: The top has been refinished, or the finish has been removed. The top has water damage; the inlay is uneven and the color has faded on the various woods. The finish on the cast iron is not original.
Design and Construction Details: The top is made from four boards that are butted together. The top is screwed to a rectangular cleat from the underside. The cast iron pedestal is screwed to the cleat. The tripod is screwed onto a rod with spiral threads on the bottom of the pedestal; it is secured with a square nut.
Status
Not on view
