Bay Colony Antiques is proud to offer for sale this fantastic antique Federal style Mahogany card table with icicle inlays. We love icicle inlaid furniture and try to purchase any quality example we come across. We purchased this in Dutchess County from an old Boston family. We suspect the table was made in Boston but couldn’t locate a maker's mark or any signatures on the table. During the early 20th century most furniture manufacturing shops moved towards mass production of inferior products. Boston was still home to a number of skilled cabinet makers who persevered & continued making fine furniture up until about the mid 20th century.
The tabletop showcases a beautiful cut of Mahogany with a geometric inlay around the edge. The inlay at the bottom of the apron mirrors the top & there are also oval Mahogany panels outlined with string inlay above each leg. The crotched Mahogany used for the oval inlays and the apron has a nice chatoyancy & and an interesting grain pattern. When a wood possesses Chatoyant properties it gives the wood a 3D effect like a gemstone or a lenticular image. The oval panel at the center is figured Maple which also has a nice chatoyancy that can be seen in our photos when comparing the straight on view of the panel & our photo of the panel at an angle.
The square Hepplewhite legs are outlined with a string inlay enveloping the icicles. The icicle inlays are segmented into 12 sections, and knowing the fastidious mind of cabinet makers, this was 100% deliberate. The number 12 is viewed as a complete or ideal number. The 12 segments likely represent the 12 months of the year, but could also relate to the 12 zodiac signs, 12 Tribes of Israel, 12 apostles etc. The legs taper in towards the bottom and have inlaid cuffs that match the rest of the table. The table is in very good condition with our only notes being minor surface wear (light scratches) & a tiny bit of inlay loss on the ankle cuff of the back left leg. We also purchased an icicle inlay drop leaf table that we’ll be listing shortly. The card table measures 34 7/8” wide x 17 5/8” deep x 29 1/2” tall. When the top is open the tabletop measures 34 7/8” wide x 35 1/4” deep.
