19TH CENTURY ANTIQUE SOUTHERN EMPIRE WALNUT & MAHOGANY HEAVILY INLAID GAME TABLE ~~ RARE & EXCEPTIONAL
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With our highest compliments were thrilled to offer for sale this amazing 19th Century Southern Mahogany & Walnut American Empire Variegated Inlay Game Table. We have the pleasure of handling some of the finest furniture brought to market year after year. To say tables like this are rare would be a huge understatement. A small family debate started talking about the origins of this table. Looking at the complexity, this was clearly made by somebody with a lot of time on their hands. The few similar examples we know we're often sailor made by merchant marines, or made by prisoners in a confederate or union prison.
The outermost edge of the top is decorated with a fantastic sunburst inlay achieved through the use of contrasting walnut and fruit wood inlay. A seldom seen pattern this is one of our favorite furniture decorations executed to an expert degree. The table features concentric decorated borders we'll here forth refer to by their number series. The second border has inlaid tulips amid a maple colored field. The third inlay border is the largest with vine decorations and large geometric spandrels. We think these may represent a compass point or a crown point. The fourth layer has a large array of different species present across many genus. The inner most layers have a sophisticate geometric layout with a multitude of different inlay techniques. At the center of the table four motifs are found. There is an arrow, a cross, a scale, and an anchor. The top has numerous punch carvings amid the inlay in geometric and star patterns. The molding around the top edge is carved along the skirt. Each corner block is inlaid with ebony, walnut, and satin wood. The apron has a shallow carving along the skirt with a scallop carved apron. The base is crafted from the best grade book matched mahogany veneers standing on tall ogee feet with brass casters. This table is deserved of a top tier collection and one of the finest examples outside of private institutions.
