Commonly known as a lamp stand due to its principle use; its four legs made it safer than the earlier candle stands. This mahogany table top is nearly square and of a plain design. The skirt is three inches deep and contains a single drawer that is almost the full width of the skirt. The extant pull is a reproduction; the original would have been plain with a small brass knob. The table is supported by four tapered legs with a ring turning at the top of each and a raised band six inches above the end of each leg.
Shaving stand is comprised of a mahogany veneer; the mirror attached to the top has a veneered bull-nose frame supported by ring and vase-turned stiles set into the top with tenons at a backward cant. The skirt has two half-drawers; however, the brass knob drawer-pulls are missing. The stand is supported by four ring and ball turned feet
Bowfront mahogany veneer chest of drawers in the Hepplewhite style. Four drawers have progressing depths from the top to the bottom, each with overpressed drawer pulls two per drawer. At the top center of each drawer is a brass escutcheon keyhole. The top of the chest and each drawer are decorated with satin wood inlay. Chest is supported at its base by four french feet which feature a slightly outswept bracket foot combined with a valence skirt.
Provenance
Dr. Alexander Speer (James Buchanan maternal cousin)
Work/farm table of walnut. Removable top constructed of three boards on a base of baluster-turned legs and a box stretcher configuation using wide boards mortise and tenoned into lower legs and pegged. Two drawers in upper section of base; one long drawer at right and short drawer at left.
Table top has two shaped supports dovetailed into the underside. These supports are then fitted alongside the ends of table and attached with four large removable shaped pegs.
Provenance
Professor Kauffman stated on 4-23-1999 that he purchased this table for $100. It was found in pieces in a barn in southeastern Lancaster County.
Richly carved walnut Chippendale dressing table, four cabriole legs with ball and claw feet. One long drawer above two short drawers that flank a large central drawer with carved shell and applied carved vines at sides. Deep shaped skirt has relief carved shell and vines. Bail brasses on all drawers except for brass pull on carved drawer. All have keyholes with brass insets. Fluted quarter columns have lamb's tongue carving above and below. The legs are extensions of the corner stiles with side brackets attached to fill out the foliate-carved front knees. Ball and claw feet.
See Notes for J.J. Snyder commentary.
Lancaster Borough, attributed
Provenance
Brokered by Mark Shoemaker & Co. from the collection of Arthur Barrus of Syracuse, NY, who purchased it at 1961 Pennypacker Auction of Mable A. Youst estate for $3500. E.S. and Mable Youst, of Reading purchased it from Emilie Rowe, who received it from her aunt, Barbara Sullenberger, who received it from Jacob Eby (her father?) of Lampeter Township, Lancaster County. Snyder notes, at least as far back as the mid-19th century, this table was owned by affluent Mennonite families living several miles from Lancaster Boro.
The top is partially separated and warped, curving up at the front and back. The molding on the left side is also partially detached at the back. The left side panel has a horizontal crack across the center. A narrow 9" even gouge appears on the top, near the front left corner; another at top left of the top drawer front. Plugs in drawers and center of shell where earlier set of brasses existed. Early replacement of drawer supports. Entire piece refinished. Replaced hardware darkened, especially the top left drawer handle.
Object ID
P.77.55
Notes
Snyder writes that the basic form of this piece -- with shell-carved central drawer, carved skirt, cabriole legs with claw-and-ball feet -- was inspired by the lowboys made in Phila. circa 1750-1800. However, the wide proportions, the deep skirt and the profuse relief carving mark this as a notable product of the Lancaster Chippendale School. All carving was done in solid wood except for the applied streamers around the carved shell.
In 1998, J.J. Snyder knew of at least 10 Lancaster Chippendale dressing tables with extensive carving (on knees, skirt and central drawer with shell and streamers.) Most elaborate is owned by Metropolitan Mus. of Art. Of 3 visually similar subgroups among these 10 tables, one subgroup of 4 includes our table, the Floyd Hinden table (sold 1998 by Horst), one sold at Sotheby's Jan 1989, and one sold a public sale on East King St. Lancaster in the 1980s. Although the carving is likely done by different hands, these four probably came from the same Lanaster Boro shop.
Credit
Gift of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
Walnut single-drawer tavern table. Removable three-plank top. Dovetailed drawer. Mortise and tenoned joints throughout the rest of the table. Turned and planed square legs terminating in bun feet. Full stretcher base.
