DOCUMENTED TO ANTHYME LEVEQUE (1880-1951), LEAD, SOUTH DAKOTA, CIRCA 1930

The present game table and set of chairs are masterful works that highlight the exceptional talent of Anthyme Leveque (1880-1951). Leveque was born in Quebec, Canada on March 29, 1880. With his family, he moved to Lead, South Dakota where he began working in the gold mines of the Homestake Mining Company at the age of fourteen. The mine was one of the largest in the world at the time and was once dubbed the 'richest 100 square miles'. The company employed thousands of people, including Leveque who also helped build bridges for railroads laid by Homestake. Later, he became a millwright and eventually worked as a carpenter for the company until his retirement in 1947.

Records show that Leveque published a leaflet on May 3, 1934 advertising his game table and chairs. He began work in 1930, as indicated by the seat on one of the side chairs, and reputably spent six hours a day, six days a week, for four years creating the present group of furniture. Overall, the four side chairs, ‘master’s’ chair and table includes 257,703 pieces from 161 different kinds of wood. Leveque’s artistry is seen in the dynamic patterns and designs created, like the images of a harp, lyre, Liberty bell, a crescent moon and rising sun. The top of the game table repeats the same motifs and each edge is decorated with the four suits of cards: the club, diamond, heart and spade. All the visible hardware is plated in gold from local mines, a nod to Leveque’s home.