Artist/Maker

Maker Unknown

Place Made

Date Made

1780-1810

Medium

walnut

Dimensions

HOA 27 3/4;HOA with top up: 44 1/2″ WOA 31 3/4; DOA 22 7/8;

Accession Number

3880

Description

DESCRIPTION: Walnut tilt-top table; oval top; spiral or barley twisted pedestal; three legged base with snake-like feet; blind dovetail battens; handmade latch; one batten is stamped three times. With a history of descent in the Salem family of Samuel Benjamin Vierling (1765-1817), this tea table features a spiral turned pedestal. First popular in decorative arts of the 17th century, this style of turning saw a renaissance in late eighteenth and early nineteenth century furniture. Its use in Salem speaks to the sophisticated taste of Salem’s artisans and residents.

History

HISTORY: This table is said to have come from Vierling family (information from a Vierling Family descendant).

TABLE: Stylistically, it is unique when compared to other Moravian tilt top tables.

STYLE: Tilt top tables may also be known as tip-top tables. They were constructed so that they pivoted on hinges from a horizontal into a vertical position. This particular style of table also represents another response to the eighteenth century demand for tables that could be stored in a room without taking up space.

Credit Line

Given in memory of Harrison Lassiter.