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A diminutive Federal mahogany and inlaid sideboard, attributed to Thomas Howard, Jr. Pawtuxet & Providence, Rhode Island, circa 1810. |
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| Artist: |
Not Available |
| Category: |
Furniture - American |
| SubType: |
Buffet/Sideboard |
| Origin: |
RI |
| Style: |
Buffet/Sideboard
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| Era: |
19th Century |
| Height: |
53.25 inches |
| Width: |
40.25 inches |
| Depth: |
29 inches |
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| This attractive small size Federal sideboard has a form and style closely associated with the School of Thomas Howard, Jr. (1744-1833), Pawtuxet and Providence, Rhode Island. With its vibrant mahogany veneers and delicate line inlay, this sideboard exemplifies the restrained elegance of American Federal furniture. The stringing design seen on the drawers and doors relate the sideboard to a card table documented by an 1817 bill of sale to Thomas Howard, Jr. (1774-1833) of Pawtuxet and Providence, Rhode Island. Based on this similarity, a group of sideboards of similar form and ornament to that offered here have been attributed to Howard's hand. Like that illustrated here, all these sideboards share the same diminutive form, layout of drawers and doors (including the deceit of one large deep drawer decorated to simulate two stacked drawers) and shaped skirt. Howard began practicing his trade in Pawtuxet in 1790 and a few years later set up a branch of his business in Providence. In 1812, he removed to Providence where except for a brief sojourn to Philadelphia, he remained until his death. His 1804 advertisement in the Providence Gazzette includes a long list of forms that begins with "Side-boards, with serpentine, eliptic, sash-cornered or straight fronts." The sideboard, which has a warm old color, has a rectangular top with cross-banded edge above a conforming case. The case fitted with a string-inlaid door flanked on one side by two similarly decorated stacked short drawers and on the other side by a single deep drawer simulating two. The chest rests on square tapered legs inlaid with panels of figured light mahogany. The legs are joined by a shaped apron with vibrant mahogany veneer and a cross-banded border.
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