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Lot Essay
Refined and elegantly proportioned, this serving table can be attributed to the shop of John (1738-1818) and Thomas Seymour (1771-1848). Superbly constructed and designed, this piece exhibits several characteristics which are consistent with the practices seen in the Seymour workshop. Relying heavily on Sheraton's design manual for furniture, one of attributes taken from his design book is the use of the distinctive spool turning at the top of the leg. This decorative device appears in other related examples: Robert D. Mussey Jr., The Furniture Masterworks of John & Thomas Seymour, (Salem, Massachusetts, 2003), no. 22, pp. 179-179 and no. 30, pp. 194-195. Another design element relating this serving table to the Seymour shop is the feathered inlay along the skirt. This stylized embellishment also occurs on Winterthur's signed John Seymour lady's tambour desk (Mussey no. 3, pp. 140-141); Vernon Stoneman brings this similarity to light in his Supplement to John and Thomas Seymour: Cabinetmakers in Boston, 1794-1816, (Boston, 1965). Additionally, the meticulous, evenly-spaced glue blocks and the use of mahogany drawer sides indicate that this serving table came from a shop practicing the highest level of craftsmanship. While unsigned the construction, decorative details, and highest quality materials link this compact serving table to Seymour shop.