Lot Essay
This dressing table combines all of the best attributes associated with the Goddard-Townsend tradition of cabinetmaking, maintaining a variety of elements within a self contained, compact design. The cove molding is an arch echoed in the shell, the profile of the legs are a continuation of the graceful curve of the apron and extend down right to the outline of the bold pad feet.
Only three case forms are documented to John Goddard, all of which are slant-front desks. Of the few forms which have been authenticated to John Goddard, one is a dressing table now in the Fine Arts Collection of the U.S. Department of State illustrated in Moses, Master Craftsmen of Newport (New Jersey, 1984) fig. 5.22 and Conger, Treasures of State, Fine and Decorative Arts in the Diplomatic Reception Rooms of the U.S. State Department (New York, 1991), pp. 130-1, cat. no. 50. The dressing table illustrated here shares similar characteristics. Each has a closely fitted cove-molded top and a similar drawer arrangement. They each retain similarly carved shells; however, this dressing table may be the only known pad foot dressing table with a petals inside the lower shell. While the chest in the State Department has ball and claw-carved front feet, the rear legs retain pad and disc feet. The rear squared cabriole legs are nearly identical in aspect to this example.
Approximately twelve Newport dressing tables are presently known. They can be separated into three groups: slipper feet, pad and disc feet, and front ball and claw feet with rear pad feet (Conger, p.131). This table can be placed in the second group and probably dates to approximately 1750, when the addition of cove molding became popular (Roque, American Furniture at Chipstone, (Madison, 1984), pp. 40-41, no. 18). Another similar example attributed to John Goddard with four squared cabriole legs and pad feet is illustrated in Antiques (February, 1959), p. 83, and in Sack, Fine Points of Furniture (New York, 1950), p. 193.
Similar dressing tables to the example seen here, and associated with the shop of John Goddard include one illustrated in Carpenter The Arts and Crafts of Newport Rhode Island 1640-1820 (Newport, Rhode Island, 1954) another illustrated in Antiques (January 1960), p. 1, although with a different drawer arrangement; another example without a cove molded top, retaining four pad and disc feet is illustrated in Antiques (June 1937), p. 309, fig. 6; and one exhibited in the Ott, The John Brown House Loan Exhibition of Rhode Island Furniture (Providence, 1965), pp. 102-3, no. 65.
John Goddard (1724-1785), the eldest son of Daniel and Mary (Tripp) Goddard was first listed as a free man at the age of twenty-one when he terminated his apprenticeship to Job Townsend. A year later he married Townsend's daughter, Hannah and in 1748 purchased land on the corner of Washington and Willow Street where he built his large house and cabinet shop.
Only three case forms are documented to John Goddard, all of which are slant-front desks. Of the few forms which have been authenticated to John Goddard, one is a dressing table now in the Fine Arts Collection of the U.S. Department of State illustrated in Moses, Master Craftsmen of Newport (New Jersey, 1984) fig. 5.22 and Conger, Treasures of State, Fine and Decorative Arts in the Diplomatic Reception Rooms of the U.S. State Department (New York, 1991), pp. 130-1, cat. no. 50. The dressing table illustrated here shares similar characteristics. Each has a closely fitted cove-molded top and a similar drawer arrangement. They each retain similarly carved shells; however, this dressing table may be the only known pad foot dressing table with a petals inside the lower shell. While the chest in the State Department has ball and claw-carved front feet, the rear legs retain pad and disc feet. The rear squared cabriole legs are nearly identical in aspect to this example.
Approximately twelve Newport dressing tables are presently known. They can be separated into three groups: slipper feet, pad and disc feet, and front ball and claw feet with rear pad feet (Conger, p.131). This table can be placed in the second group and probably dates to approximately 1750, when the addition of cove molding became popular (Roque, American Furniture at Chipstone, (Madison, 1984), pp. 40-41, no. 18). Another similar example attributed to John Goddard with four squared cabriole legs and pad feet is illustrated in Antiques (February, 1959), p. 83, and in Sack, Fine Points of Furniture (New York, 1950), p. 193.
Similar dressing tables to the example seen here, and associated with the shop of John Goddard include one illustrated in Carpenter The Arts and Crafts of Newport Rhode Island 1640-1820 (Newport, Rhode Island, 1954) another illustrated in Antiques (January 1960), p. 1, although with a different drawer arrangement; another example without a cove molded top, retaining four pad and disc feet is illustrated in Antiques (June 1937), p. 309, fig. 6; and one exhibited in the Ott, The John Brown House Loan Exhibition of Rhode Island Furniture (Providence, 1965), pp. 102-3, no. 65.
John Goddard (1724-1785), the eldest son of Daniel and Mary (Tripp) Goddard was first listed as a free man at the age of twenty-one when he terminated his apprenticeship to Job Townsend. A year later he married Townsend's daughter, Hannah and in 1748 purchased land on the corner of Washington and Willow Street where he built his large house and cabinet shop.