Table, Sewing

Object Name:

Table, Sewing

Object ID:

1982.097

Creator:

Lord, Ebenezer (1788-1877)Cabinetmaker

Place of Origin:

Portsmouth, NH

Date:

1825-1835

Description:

Table, work or sewing. Made by Ebenezer Lord (1788-1877), Portsmouth, NH; 1825-1835. Empire style. Mahogany and figured mahogany veneer, with white pine, birch, and yellow poplar. Stamped in ink inside top two drawers: "EBENEZER LORD." Drop-leaf top supported by fly rails. It is supported by two columnar supports joined at the base by a rail and resting on four turned feet with casters. It has three drawers; the lowest one is a large U-shaped drawer, or "wooden bag," for holding sewing materials. The bag drawer consists of mahogany sides dovetailed at the top to the sides of the framework and four curved pine boards veneered with mahogany, which form a U-shaped cavity. There is a quarter-column of ball turnings at each corner of the frame. The sides of the case frame are two boards thick, glued and nailed together. The inner board is pine; the outer board is made of two narrow boards; an upper fly rail of birch and a lower rail of pine veneered with mahogany. The back is dovetailed to the inner board of each side. The 2" deep drawer dividers are tenoned to the sides. The top is pocket-screwed to the case, and six original blocks are also glued to the underside of the top and the inner surface of the sides. Each leaf is secured with two hinges. The columnar supports for the case frame are round-tenoned into the underside of the side and round-tenoned into the trestle plinths. The columns are solid mahogany rather than veneered. The medial stretcher is fastened with a sliding dovetail to each trestle plinth. Each foot is secured to the plinth with three cut nails and glue. The interior of the drawers retains an old red stain. The circular brass pulls are replacements.

Material:

Wood
Mahogany
Pine
Birch
Poplar
Metal
Brass

Dimensions:

H-29.475 W-18.125 D-18 inches

Provenance:

Table has the maker's mark of Portsmouth cabinetmaker Ebenezer Lord, known to have been working 1821-55. The early history of this piece is not known. It was purchased in 1980 from Philip H. Bradley Co. of Downingtown, Penn., by Donald Fennimore, then Associate Curator at Winterthur, Wilmington, DE, who sold the piece to NHHS in 1982.

Credit Line:

New Hampshire Historical Society Purchase

People:

Lord, Ebenezer (1788-1877)

Subjects:

Domestic life, Sewing, Sewing equipment & supplies, Women