PHILADELPHIA, CIRCA 1770

Illustrating one of the most iconic forms of colonial American furniture, this Philadelphia "piecrust" tea table is closely related to two other examples and all were most likely made in the same shop. All three display the same distinctive columnar-turned pedestal with two rings above the suppressed ball, which has a bead "mid-molding" placed close to the base of the ball. The birdcage baluster turnings are similarly bulbous and the undersides of the legs are double-scooped at each juncture with the base of the pedestal. Furthermore, all display carving that may have been executed by the same craftsman. Cascading from the tops of the legs and almost reaching the ankles, these passages are exceptionally long. All are centered by a deeply cut V-shaped gouge from which flows overlapping acanthus leaves. The table offered here and the example now in the Hennage Collection both have a pierced circular device heading this gouge cut and terminate in a single rounded leaf tip. The Hennage Collection table is illustrated in Israel Sack, Inc., American Antiques from Israel Sack, vol. 5, pp. 1326-1327, P4354. The other table sold Christie's, New York, 27 January 1996, lot 252 and Sotheby's, New York, Property from the Hascoe Family Collection, 23 January 2011, lot 35.