Saturday, November 19, 2011

Her Majesty's Furniture: The Hintz Tea Table, 1737

The Victoria & Albert Museum


This mahogany tripod, tilt-top table is inlaid with brass and mother-of-pearl. The top features beautifully scalloped edges, and is dished to hold tea wares. The edges around the dished portions are decorated with inlaid gentian flowers and leaves. The central pedestal is joined by three legs which are, curiously, in the form of human legs complete with stockings and buckled shoes. These anthropomorphic legs are rare, and are most likely inspired by Dutch prototypes.


In the 1730s, furniture of the utmost quality was decorated with brass inlay and mother-of-pearl. This is especially true of the Hintz Furniture Company—the makers of this table who advertised their use of mother-of-pearl as well as brass inlay from 1737-1738.



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