New England, possibly Boston

Mahogany

Circa 1760

25.5” x 28.75” (open), 10.5” (closed) W x 29.5” D

The table is a masterwork of American craftsmanship. If you take the most highly developed New England drop leaf table and shrink it to two-thirds size you would be lucky if it captured this piece’s elegance. The cabinetmaker did not miss a beat in creating this small table with its deeply shaped skirt that flows into dramatic cabriole legs that terminate in four petite balls and claw feet. This piece survives with a beautiful old, dry surface.

While there are documented examples of diminutive tables from Boston, none feature the dramatic central cutout, the dramatic cabriole legs, and the ball and claw feet.