Boston, attributed to John and Thomas Seymour, 1800-1810, top in finely grained burlwood veneer surrounded by Greek key banding, rich, exuberant satinwood drawer facings and case sides, dovetailed drawers with tropical exotic hardwood secondary, one side with pull out work bag, finely turned and reeded legs with brass casters, 29-3/4 x 20 x 15-3/4 in.

Literature: Robert D. Mussey Jr., The Furniture Masterworks of John and Thomas Seymour, pg. 294-295

Note: This exceptional table is arguably the best Boston Federal work table in private hands. It was discovered at the Palazzo Barbaro in Venice, having been transported there in the mid 19th century by Daniel Sargent Curtis and his wife, Ariana Randolf Wormeley Curtis, as part of the furnishings for the 60-room palazzo on the Grand Canal in Venice. Ariana was the granddaughter of Elizabeth Derby Preble, a niece of Elias Hasket Derby of Salem, thus linking this table to two of the most important families of early Boston - the Sargents and the Derbys. It is possible the table may have descended through the Derby family, as Ariana Curtis was the only surviving member of the Preble family. It is the mate to a table at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston (accession no. 1990.172). The sister table is illustrated in Vernon C. Stoneman, A Supplement to John and Thomas Seymour, Cabinetmakers in Boston, 1794-1816, catalog no. 49. Robert Mussey notes in his catalog entry for this table in The Furniture Masterworks of John and Thomas Seymour that, in addition to surviving extraordinarily well, the table is “even rarer in being one of a pair, the two being different only in their hardware pull patterns. The veneers on the tables are cut from the same flitches of veneer and placed identically on the various surfaces. The numerals “N1” and “2” (on this table) are inscribed in chalk on the matching drawer bottoms, indicating the tables were made in the Seymour shop at the same time.” The table offered here and its sister table at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, rank among the finest surviving examples from Federal Boston.

Robert Mussey notes in the catalog entry for this table in The Furniture Masterworks of John and Thomas Seymour that "the table has survived extraordinarily well, with virtually no repairs except refinishing." Mussey also notes the table retains its original bag slide mechanism intact, a rare survival; top with some minor abrasions with some possible color retouch and some areas of wax drip, minor warping and one edge crack to top, typical checking to figured veneers, brasses probably original (no plugged holes), small areas of dents and distress at lower center skirt