Beschreibung:

Very Fine and Rare Chippendale Carved and Figured Mahogany Scalloped-Top Tilt-Top Tea TablePhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaCirca 1750
Retains a dark rich historic surface.
Height 28 in. by Width 33 1/2 in. by Depth 34 in.Condition reportIn overall very fine condition. A small chip and loss to one of the points on the edge of the table and a patch surrounding the lock.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.ProvenanceJoe Kindig, Jr. & Son, York, Pennsylvania;
Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Nusrala, St. Louis, Missouri;
Christie’s, New York, Property from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Nusrala, January 21, 2006, lot 673.LiteratureDavid H. Conradsen, Useful Beauty: Early American Decorative Arts from St. Louis Collections (St. Louis, MO: Saint Louis Art Museum, 1999), pp. 50-1, no. 18.Catalogue noteThis superbly crafted tea table displays a number of features that place it among the earliest examples of the Philadelphia tea table form. It was examined by Alan Miller in December of 1986 when it was owned by Joe Kindig, Jr. & Son. In his report dated April 29, 1987, Miller described this table “as the best high Queen Anne Philadelphia pie crust table I have seen” (see report in Kindig file). He noted that the small size of the feet and multitude of acanthus-leaves with parallel lobes are typical of carving from the renowned set of Reifsnyder chairs from the 1740s and early 1750s.1 Miller also noted that the shaping of the top, with twelve rather than the more usual eight repeats is more likely to be found on tables from the 1740s and early 1750s. The columnar shaft of highly figured mahogany is also typical of this era. The dramatic mahogany grain seen in the top and shaft complements the carved ornament. While the top of the shaft has a patched repair, the top and base are original to each other as evidenced by the expected wear and shadows created by the junctures of the top of the birdcage to the top and the bottom of the birdcage to the shoulder of the shaft.
A similar though less refined tea table retaining its original surface and lock ring was sold at Sotheby’s, Important Americana, January 23, 2009, sale 8512, lot 236. That table descended in the family of John Phillips (1770-1823), who served as the first mayor of Boston from 1822-1823 and father of the abolitionist Wendell Phillips.
1 See American Art Galleries, Howard Reifsnyder sale catalogue, April 1929, lots 653-655. See also Joseph Downs, American Furniture (New York: The MacMillan Company, 1952), plate 116.