Oval-top tea table
Unknown American, American
possibly 1700-1735
Pine and maple, original black paint
Height: 24 in. (61 cm)
Width: 33 in. (83.8 cm)
Diameter: 23 1/4 in. (59.1 cm)
Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth: Gift of the Estate of Richard and Terry Albright in honor of John T. Kirk and Trevor Fairbrother
2020.12.1
Geography
Place Made: United States, North America
Period
1600-1800
Object Name
Furniture
Research Area
Decorative Arts
On view
Label
Rather than a central pedestal to support this oval tabletop, four bold legs upend our expectations. They create an intriguing juxtaposition between the square support structure and oval top. The once-known cabinetmaker turned the legs on a lathe, chipping away tiny shards of wood to fashion their undulating forms. With few exceptions, European-style sculpture did not flourish in eighteenth-century, British-colonized North America. Locally constructed furniture approximated the closest thing to sculpture. Thus, a table could be visually pleasing while still serving a function, such as drinking imported tea.
From the 2023 exhibition Liquidity: Art, Commodities, and Water, curated by Michael Hartman, Jonathan Little Cohen Associate Curator of American Art
Course History
First Year Student Enrichment Program - Cultures, Identities and Belongings, Francine A'Ness, Summer 2023
Exhibition History
Liquidity: Art, Commodities, and Water, Israel Sack Gallery and the Rush Family Gallery, Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, July 29, 2023-June 16, 2024.
Publication History
John T. Kirk, American Furniture: Understanding Styles, Construction, and Quality. New York: H. N. Abrams, 2000, p. 36 (fig. 33).
Provenance
Dealer Roger Bacon (1904-1982), Exeter, New Hampshire; sold to John T. Kirk, about 1965; sold back to Roger Bacon, 1975; sold to Richard Charles Albright (1939-2019) and Terry Keppel Albright (1942-2018), late 1975 or early 1976; bequeathed to their sons, Aaron, Tim, and Bear Albright, 2019; given to present collection, 2020
This record is part of an active database that includes information from historic documentation that may not have been recently reviewed. Information may be inaccurate or incomplete. We also acknowledge some language and imagery may be offensive, violent, or discriminatory. These records reflect the institution’s history or the views of artists or scholars, past and present. Our collections research is ongoing.
We welcome questions, feedback, and suggestions for improvement. Please contact us at: Hood.Collections@dartmouth.edu