mahogany tilt top pie crust table

[jacon4]

Wonder if the top lifts off like a tray?
No, it doesn't, it's called a "tray top" table though and the edge is carved. The ball & claw feet have open talons (open space between ball & talon) which was a feature of goddard/townsend work and demonstrate a master carvers touch.

[KC]

Wow.  So this one is "it is what you see".  I'm out.  Guess I am saving my millions!

I have a old "lift off top tray" one that isn't the best looking thing on the block.  But I loved the multi-functionality of it.  It has been used as a side table for drinks/condiments at large family gatherings and has been "re-lifed" as a side table to a tall antique bed.

[jacon4]

I'm out.  Guess I am saving my millions!

LOL, yeah i hear you! The thing about that Goddard tea table is, it has wonderful provenance, was in the same family since it was built and, letters from Moses Brown to John Goddard fussing at him for putting other customers ahead of him in furniture delivery/building. Apparently Moses placed his order to Goddard for this tea table as a wedding gift to a relative and he wanted this table NOW and did not want to wait his turn, it's cost was 90 pounds, a princely sum back in the day.

[mart]

Hey !! Thats within my budget,,at todays prices !! 

[KC]

What great provenance!

[jacon4]

Yeah, is, when you have letters written by the guy who commissioned the piece to the guy building the piece, it really doesn't get any better than that. 90 pounds was a HUGE sum in 1760, especially for a tea table, the average teachers salary for a year was 60 pounds. Money was no object to the Brown brothers, indeed, they were very competitive about everything, including furniture ordered at the goddard/townsend families cabinet shop. This kind of client gave them the resources to produce some of the very best work during this time. As is usual, it takes many various parts coming together at the same time for something spectacular to happen in the arts world, this was one of those times.

[jacon4]

Lets look at a Virginia tea table built during this same time frame, 1750-1760, this one attributed to Robert Walker

[KC]

Ohhhhhhhhh......  What a beautiful pieces.  The coloring, artistry are awe inspiring.

[msghopper1924]

Such a beautiful table top!

[mart]

The entire  table is stunningly beautiful !!

[jacon4]

Yeah, as is obvious, Americans took their tea breaks seriously in 1760 & the well to do took tea tables to a whole other level.

[mart]

Well,, at least we get to see a bit of how the upper crust lived !!  No cardboard cups for that table !!

[jacon4]

I would note there are A LOT of period american tea tables still around from the 18th century, most families had one although not nearly as elaborate as the the ones above. You see them often at auction selling for a few hundred bucks in today's market, cheaper than sawdust furniture at ikea.

[msghopper1924]

It's amazing that anyone would buy furniture at Ikea, when solid wood antiques can be had for the same price.

[jacon4]

when solid wood antiques can be had for the same price.

Yeah, it is a bit weird that one can buy middle market antique furniture cheaper than sawdust furniture these days but understandable as well. With antiques, you gotta hunt around to find what you need and most just are not willing to do that, they are more into clicking their mouse on a buy button and having it arrive from Amazon a few days later.