Lot Essay
The stamp placed on both the top and the base of this table firmly links it to the emigré cabinetmaker, Charles-Honoré Lannuier, who worked in New York from 1803 until his premature death in 1819.
The fashion for light figured woods, as seen on the four columnar supports of this table, was based upon English preferences that originated with the satinwood furniture of Robert Adam. The vogue continued and was embraced by the Prince Regent, encouraged the fashion for lighter woods, which in turn influenced French Restoration furniture. Lannuier, then was inspired to use figured lighter woods both by his ties with France and his presence in the still largely English-influenced city of New York. See, Woodside, "French Influence on American Furniture" (Dissertation, University of Chicago, 1986), p. 96.
The design of this table is based upon classical architecture, with reference to a columned structure which supports an entablature and frieze. The carved animal feet, although not of architectural origin, certainly were derived from classical prototypes as well. Both the use of columns and carved animal foot continued in popularity into the third decade of the nineteenth century, years after Lannuier's death in 1819. Both features, for instance, were illustrated and explained in the 1828 Philadelphia Cabinet and Chair Maker's Union Book of Prices. The columns, for example, were described in Table No. 38 as, "A solid column...tenons on each end, prepared by the turner with additional instructions for columns of varying thicknesses. Similarly shaped animal feet with carved acanthus leaves, were illustrated in Plate 7, No. 6 and listed simply as claws."
A nearly identical pair of tables with canted top, columns with squared capitals and bases, and a gilt, tiered, abacus base but with dolphin feet rather than animal feet, is in the collection of Winterthur Museum. Another table with similar columns and carved feet is in the collection of the White House (Pearce, "American Empire Furniture in the White House," Antiques, vol. 81, no. 5 (May, 1962), fig. 8.
The fashion for light figured woods, as seen on the four columnar supports of this table, was based upon English preferences that originated with the satinwood furniture of Robert Adam. The vogue continued and was embraced by the Prince Regent, encouraged the fashion for lighter woods, which in turn influenced French Restoration furniture. Lannuier, then was inspired to use figured lighter woods both by his ties with France and his presence in the still largely English-influenced city of New York. See, Woodside, "French Influence on American Furniture" (Dissertation, University of Chicago, 1986), p. 96.
The design of this table is based upon classical architecture, with reference to a columned structure which supports an entablature and frieze. The carved animal feet, although not of architectural origin, certainly were derived from classical prototypes as well. Both the use of columns and carved animal foot continued in popularity into the third decade of the nineteenth century, years after Lannuier's death in 1819. Both features, for instance, were illustrated and explained in the 1828 Philadelphia Cabinet and Chair Maker's Union Book of Prices. The columns, for example, were described in Table No. 38 as, "A solid column...tenons on each end, prepared by the turner with additional instructions for columns of varying thicknesses. Similarly shaped animal feet with carved acanthus leaves, were illustrated in Plate 7, No. 6 and listed simply as claws."
A nearly identical pair of tables with canted top, columns with squared capitals and bases, and a gilt, tiered, abacus base but with dolphin feet rather than animal feet, is in the collection of Winterthur Museum. Another table with similar columns and carved feet is in the collection of the White House (Pearce, "American Empire Furniture in the White House," Antiques, vol. 81, no. 5 (May, 1962), fig. 8.