Card Table
Furniture MakerMade by
William Conner
American, 1790 - 1870
Date1792-1805
MediumMahogany veneer, light wood inlay, cherry and pine secondary woods
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (height x diameter of top when open): 27 5/8 x 34 3/4in. (70.2 x 88.3cm)
ClassificationsFurniture
Credit LineMuseum purchase, through a gift of Charles E. Brainard and F. Kelso Davis
DescriptionMahogany veneer card table in the Federal, or early neoclassical, style. The round top of the card table is constructed in two halves, or leaves, joined at each back corner with a hinge. The top sits above a semi-circular frame supported by four stationary, tapered legs. A fifth leg, or fly leg, at the back left corner of the card table swings back to form a support for the upper leaf, when open. There are three curved rails at the top front of the frame, and a straight rail in the back.
Inlay. The top of the top leaf has a curving band of light wood inlay that conforms to the shape of the leaf. The top and bottom curved edges of each leaf has a string of light wood inlay. Each curved rail and the top of each leg has a rectangle of light wood inlay with canted, curved corners. The bottom edge of each rail, as well as across the front of each leg, has a band of light wood inlay. Each stationary leg has an inlaid design of a carrot over two tapered circles. Each carrot is flanked by two thin lines of light wood inlay that extend down the leg to the ankle, where they end at a horizontal band of light wood inlay. The fly leg has a band of light wood inlay at the ankle.
Condition: A semi-circular area of damage to the veneer at the top front edge of the front rail is repaired. There are light scratches on the side rails. There is minor wear and discoloration of the finish on the top surface of the top leaf, when closed. A scratch on the top surface of the card table has been repaired.
Design and Construction Details: Each leaf is formed of a single board; the boards are joined with a brass hinge at each back corner. The lower leaf is screwed to the frame from the underside. Each leg extends the full height of the frame. Each curved rail is formed of four horizontal, curved layers of wood that are laminated together, or brick built. These are tenoned into the leg posts. The fly leg swings on a knuckle joint on the back rail and is not as thick as the four stationary legs. The back of the frame is constructed of a single inner rail and two exterior rails that are joined at the center. The inner rail extends the full width of the card table and is tenoned into the back stationary legs. Each interior back corner of the frame has a vertical glue block. Both the fly rail and the fixed rail are tenoned into the corresponding back leg post. They are joined in the center with a knuckle hinge. The fixed rail is nailed to the stationary inner rail from the inside.
Inlay. The top of the top leaf has a curving band of light wood inlay that conforms to the shape of the leaf. The top and bottom curved edges of each leaf has a string of light wood inlay. Each curved rail and the top of each leg has a rectangle of light wood inlay with canted, curved corners. The bottom edge of each rail, as well as across the front of each leg, has a band of light wood inlay. Each stationary leg has an inlaid design of a carrot over two tapered circles. Each carrot is flanked by two thin lines of light wood inlay that extend down the leg to the ankle, where they end at a horizontal band of light wood inlay. The fly leg has a band of light wood inlay at the ankle.
Condition: A semi-circular area of damage to the veneer at the top front edge of the front rail is repaired. There are light scratches on the side rails. There is minor wear and discoloration of the finish on the top surface of the top leaf, when closed. A scratch on the top surface of the card table has been repaired.
Design and Construction Details: Each leaf is formed of a single board; the boards are joined with a brass hinge at each back corner. The lower leaf is screwed to the frame from the underside. Each leg extends the full height of the frame. Each curved rail is formed of four horizontal, curved layers of wood that are laminated together, or brick built. These are tenoned into the leg posts. The fly leg swings on a knuckle joint on the back rail and is not as thick as the four stationary legs. The back of the frame is constructed of a single inner rail and two exterior rails that are joined at the center. The inner rail extends the full width of the card table and is tenoned into the back stationary legs. Each interior back corner of the frame has a vertical glue block. Both the fly rail and the fixed rail are tenoned into the corresponding back leg post. They are joined in the center with a knuckle hinge. The fixed rail is nailed to the stationary inner rail from the inside.
Object number1991.57.0
MarkingsA white, rectangular paper label is adhered to the underside of the top. Handwritten in black ink is, "This table was the property of my grandmother/ Martha (Pattie) Hollister Wooley and was/ probably made by her husband William/ P. Wooley/ Robert A. Wadsworth/ Nov. 20, 1905".On View
Not on view
