In 1807 Samuel Mclntire billed the Salem cabinetmaker Jacob Sanderson for “Reeding & Carving 4 legs for worktable.” Although the Bayou Bend table cannot be documented to a specific carver or cabinetmaker, it, too, provides insight into the pivotal role of specialists in the furniture trade. The benefits of this arrangement ensured efficient, high-quality workmanship and, equally important, a more cost-effective production. While the carving on this table cannot be assigned to a specific hand, the articulation of the leaves corresponds to two pieces of documented Salem furniture. While the ornament on all three is similar, their turnings vary, suggesting the participation of as many as three different turners.

Technical notes: Mahogany; mahogany (drawer divider), northern white cedar (drawer sides), eastern white pine. The interior sides are fully enclosed. The top is secured with glue blocks. The bag frame is constructed with corner brackets secured by glue blocks. The stamped brass knobs are original.

Related examples: Most closely related is Sotheby’s Arcade Auctions, New York, sale 1242, June 21, 1988, lot 220. Tables with related turnings include Sack 1969–92, vol. 4, p. 963, no. P3707; Sack 1969–92, vol. 8, p. 2247, no. P5795; Conger 1991, pp. 244–45, no. 154.

Book excerpt: David B. Warren, Michael K. Brown, Elizabeth Ann Coleman, and Emily Ballew Neff. American Decorative Arts and Paintings in the Bayou Bend Collection. Houston: Princeton Univ. Press, 1998.