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Lot Essay
Few cabinetmakers in Federal New York were able to achieve the mastery of form and ornament exhibited in the Hewlett Family sideboard. Its undulating facades and lexicon of inlaid ornament were difficult, time consuming and materially, very costly to produce. Not many are thought to have been produced and less have survived. According to the 1794 New York Cabinet-Makers' Book of Prices, the standard, six-legged version, cost 9 pounds twelve shillings, with the extra two legs and plethora of inlay only adding to the final cost (Montgomery, American Furniture: The Federal Period, New York, 1966, p.374).
Other eight-legged sideboards made in New York with similar decorative and constructional features are in the Collections of the Department of State (illustrated in Conger and Rollins, Treasures of State: Fine and Decorative Arts in the Diplomatic Reception Rooms of the U.S. Department of State (New York, 1991), entry 135), Yale University (illustrated in Ward, American Case Furniture in the Mabel Brady Garvan and Other Collections at Yale University (New Haven, 1988), p.420) and The Winterthur Museum (illustrated in Montgomery, American Furniture: The Federal Period in the Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum (New York, 1966), p.373, fig.360).
Other eight-legged sideboards made in New York with similar decorative and constructional features are in the Collections of the Department of State (illustrated in Conger and Rollins, Treasures of State: Fine and Decorative Arts in the Diplomatic Reception Rooms of the U.S. Department of State (New York, 1991), entry 135), Yale University (illustrated in Ward, American Case Furniture in the Mabel Brady Garvan and Other Collections at Yale University (New Haven, 1988), p.420) and The Winterthur Museum (illustrated in Montgomery, American Furniture: The Federal Period in the Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum (New York, 1966), p.373, fig.360).